Romanian broadcasting authority accuses BCC over retransmission of another TV channel instead of TVR1

Members of the National Broadcasting Council of Romania (NBC) condemn the decision of the Broadcasting Coordination Council of Moldova (BCC) to retransmit Antena International instead of TVR1 in Moldova through the frequency offered to the television channel 2 Plus. NBC chairman Razvan Popescu told the Romanian paper “Free Romania” that the situation is worrying and regrettable. TVR has built an audience in Moldova and now this audience will be served by a commercial channel. According to Ioan Onisei, member of the NBC, it is a pity that the Government and the management of TVR did not manage to solve the technical and financial problems with the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, Onisei accuses the new administration of the BCC of fulfilling political orders aimed at blocking the dialogue between Romania and Moldova. He wonders whether the retransmitted news and commentaries of Antena 1, 2, 3 and Euforia TV correctly, objectively and impartially reflect the most important events taking place in Romania. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, BCC member Corneliu Mihalache said that the Romanian Television Corporation (SRTV) has shown that it does not want to be present on the broadcasting market in Moldova, first of all because it did not bother to settle the debt owed to the Moldovan state-run enterprise Radiocommunication and began to take measures only after the state-run network No.2 was put up for tender. Also, SRTV refused to enter into a contract with the winner of the tender contest, Telefe M International. Therefore, this company was forced by the circumstances to sign a contract with another Romanian channel, Mihalache said. The Romanian Television Corporation reiterated for Info-Prim Neo that the BCC’s decision of July 31 to put the Network No.2 for tender is illegal and announced that they will consider whether to appeal the decision to court at the meeting of the Administration Board of November 27. SRTV formulated a preliminary complaint against the BCC’s decisions to organise the tender contest and to declare Telefe M International as winner, asking pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages totalling 500,000 euros from the BCC.