Restructuring of public broadcaster will include replacement of persons loyal to former government, MP

The reorganization of the national public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova (TRM) is a priority for the new government, members of the new Parliament have told Info-Prim Neo. The issue will be discussed immediately after the parliamentary commission on culture, science, education, youth, sport and mass media is constituted, Info-Prim Neo reports. “The problem of the public broadcaster is very important for the Alliance for European Integration, for the four Democratic parties. Teleradio-Moldova must become an institution that serves the public interests and observes its statute that has been ignored after the adoption of the law on the national public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova. We will make sure that the profession of journalist is respected and that the journalistic ethics and the Deontological Code are observed,” said Corina Fusu, the vice president of the Liberal Party. According to her, the restructuring of Teleradio-Moldova will be discussed with NGOs, journalists, jurists, etc. “We will decide which way to follow – to modify the Broadcasting Code or to abrogate it and adopt a new law.” Alexandru Tanase, the first vice president of the Liberal Democratic Party, said that the changes at the national public broadcaster are of major importance because the Moldovan society has been manipulated for a too long period of time. “The TRM should not be politically biased, no matter what party is governing the country. The people must be informed correctly, not manipulated as it happened during the last eight years,” said Tanase. “The restructuring will include the replacement of the persons loyal to the former government. We will promote qualified persons who have not been ʾmutilatedʾ by the Communists,” Tanase said, adding that the Broadcasting Coordination Council and the Supervisory Board will have to work within the law. Eugeniu Rybca, expert of the Electronic Press Association (APEL), said that first of all they should examine the violations committed by the TRM and the Broadcasting Coordination Council by inactivity and draft a bill with amendments to the Broadcasting Code. “The bill is to be discussed in public, adopted by the Parliament and then put into practice. These reforms should also apply to the composition of the Broadcasting Coordination Council and the Supervisory Board,” Rybca said. The expert also said that the reorganization of the Supervisory Board is within the competence of the Parliament. The present powers of the Board do not guarantee its efficient activity.