Teleradio-Moldova wants budget of 127 M lei in 2009

The Observers Council (OC) approved of the decision concerning Teleradio-Moldova's 2009 budget, on Thursday, June 27. Valentin Todercan, the national broadcaster's president, suggested to add 20 million lei to buy equipment. Thus, Teleradio-Moldova's budget for the next year amounts to 127. 026 million lei, as 110 million will be allocated from the state budget, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to Todercan, the amount of 16-17 million lei is to be covered from commercial activities. He says the money in 2009 will be channeled preponderantly to improve programs, to enhance the TV broadcasting up to 24 hours a days, to insure the ratio between own and bought productions, to re-equip through further digitalization the TV and radio productions. Another priority is said to be raising the employees' salaries and improving their working conditions. For 2008, the budget to be used is deemed to be 148 million lei. The Government has already allocated 51 million lei. According to Valentin Todercan, there is a draft in the Parliament providing that the central authorities will transfer 65 million more till the end of the year, and thus the state will give 116 million lei to the national broadcaster in 2008. To make up for the other expenditures, the company has 13 million lei from commercial activities. “In these conditions, we have a deficit of about 20 million in 2008, ” Valentin Todercan said. At the sitting of June 26, the OC members did not approve of the task-book, and instructed the president to operate modifications till the next sitting. Some OC members expressed their dissatisfaction with the task book and the distribution of money. Teleradio-Moldova is to present its 2009 draft budget to the Finance Ministry till mid-July. The sitting was not attended by the observers Veaceslav Ionita and Igor Munteanu. In 2005, the amount allocated to the national broadcaster was 44.5 million lei, in 2006 – 25 million, and in 2007 -- 62 million lei.