Representatives of civil society and of local administration of Chisinau reject the idea of centralizing the local public audiovisual

Two media organizations reject the idea on transforming the local public audiovisual into “Teleradio-Moldova” subsidiaries and affirm that at least the public stations of Chisinau proved their efficiency and public utility. The interim Mayor also doubts the necessity of centralizing the public audiovisual. The president of Journalists Union of Moldova, Valeriu Sahharneanu says that Antena C and Euro TV proved that that they can comply with the standards of local public audiovisual, and for Chisinau city, which is the main “sponsor” of the national budget, supporting the public media is bearable. “We must not take aim at a person or political groups, but we must think about the efficiency of these stations. Antena C and Euro TV proved during all these years that they are valuable sources in a politically controlled environment”, Valeriu Saharneanu declared. The Chairman of the Electronic Press Association, Alexandru Dorogan, states that the solution regarding the affiliation of local public radio and TV stations to “Teleradio-Moldova” is not in line with the recommendations and European standards and, what is more important, it neglects the public interest. There are at least two stations that proved their efficiency In Chisinau, “Antena C” and “Euro TV”, which proved their public utility and asserted themselves as independent stations which work for the public interest, Dorogan said. Due to these stations the Citizens of Chisinau were able to understand that they are a community and ‘I think, Dorogan said, that the administration of Chisinau also understood that these stations are necessary in order to communicate with the citizens and find out their necessities, which is very important’. The general interim Mayor of Chisinau, Vasile Ursu states that the idea of transforming Euro TV and Antena C into subsidiaries of “Teleradio-Moldova” is a possibility, but it is remote. The local public administration needs municipal public radio and TV stations and it would not be correct if the public audiovisual would be centralized, Ursu states. “It would be correct if these sources of information would not be involved in political games and if they would present what is happening in municipality. In this case no one would try to liquidate, merge or reorganize them”, Vasile Ursu declared for Antena C. The draft Audiovisual Code was elaborated by communist, Christian-democrat and democrat MPs and was approved in first reading on April 6, 2006. The representatives of other political parties, as well as experts, journalists, at the numerous public debates on this issue, the representatives of the civil society qualified this document as political and which allow interference of the government in the affairs of the local broadcasting institutions. On Thursday, July 27, the Parliament will discuss the draft Audiovisual Code in second reading.