The transformation of Teleradio-Gagauzia into public broadcaster saw the same abuses as Teleradio-Moldova, experts say

The transformation of “Teleradio-Gagauzia” (TRG) from state-run company into a public broadcaster has seen the same abuses and irregularities as in the case of Teleradio-Moldova Company, which underwent restructure four years ago, experts in the field told a meeting of the Press Club on Thursday, November 1. TRG’s restructure was envisaged by the Gagauzian People’s Assembly in a law on radio and television, which entered in effect on July 27 and gave the state-run broadcasters in the region a three-month period to become public. However, the experts attending Thursday’s Press Club meeting found a series of faults with the process. Among the most serious, the experts mentioned the fact that TRG was liquidated prior to the restructure and the fact that the members of the company’s supervisory board were appointed in a non-transparent manner. [Ana Harlamenco, former TRG president], and member of the Supervisory Board, said the law was adopted in a hurry, without asking the opinion of experts in the field and of the journalists working at the company. The appointment of the SB members did not go without controversy either. The People’s Assembly had 40 applicants to choose from, yet most of the 9 members selected are not even familiar with the broadcasting. Harlamenco said that after the first couple of meetings she decided to relinquish membership in the board because of the abuses she had witnessed. Harlamenco believes that TRG’s liquidation on October 22 runs counter to the legislation and subjects its staffers to a recruitment competition similar to the one held at TRM in August 2004. [Alexandru Dorogan, president of the Electronic Press Association], also believes that TRG’s restructure has seen a series of abuses. In his words, the liquidation of the company was absolutely inadmissible, because it goes against the legislation. The applicants for the SB membership should have submitted their files to the Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC), which would have then selected 18 candidates for the Assembly’s consideration. [Eugeniu Ribca, expert in the field] believes that the Broadcasting Coordination Council must also share part of the blame for the abuses, because the broadcasting watchdog was supposed to guarantee the observance of the laws and of the audience’s rights. [Vlad Turcanu, BCC member] pointed out that the authority he represents has made several attempts to talk this issue over with the authorities in Comrat, but BCC’s mission was obstructed by the multitude of opinions on this matter. BCC does not have a leverage to influence the Assembly or the Governor, he said. However, Turcanu remarked that the way TRG’s transformation was carried out has violated some major provisions of the Broadcasting Code. Most of the guests of the Press Club meeting opined that the way the Company was transformed revealed the interest of some forces in keeping the control over the TRG. The participants in the meeting pledged solidarity with their colleagues in Comrat. Recently, media and human rights NGOs, under the aegis of the Electronic Press Association APEL, released a statement over the restructure at TRG, saying that it is carried out with deviations from the Broadcasting Code of the Republic of Moldova and from the legislation of the autonomous territorial unit. The NGOs are also concerned about the fact that the process of liquidating TRG and of creating a regional public broadcaster is carried out in non-transparent conditions and not in cooperation with the civil society. Therefore, this brings into question the objectivity of the criteria of selecting candidates for the Supervisory Board of the public company and of designating the company’s administration. It also creates incertitude among the staff members as regards the observance of the right to practice the profession. The transformation through liquidation of the state-owned company Teleradio-Moldova in 2004, which ended in layoffs according to political criteria, serves as a relevant negative example, the statement concludes.