TVR1 may not broadcast in Moldova for the period of the trial

The Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) on February 18 cancelled the decision of the Chisinau Court of Appeals by which the Romanian Television Corporation (SRTV) was allowed to transmit the programs of TVR1 in Moldova for the duration of the trial, Info-Prim Neo reports. The SCJ rejected SRTV’s application to suspend the decisions of the Broadcasting Coordination Council (BCC) under which the state-owned network No.2 was put up for tender and the results of the contest at which the network was allocated to another company were validated. The decision of the Supreme Court of Justice is irrevocable. Janet Hanganu, the representative of SRTV in the court, described the given decision as regrettable, saying that such a decisions was expected given the haste in which the appeal lodged by the BCC was examined. On the other hand, Maxian Radu, the representative of the Ministry of Information Development, said that the SCJ’s decision is legal and well grounded. He also said that the Court of Appeals’ decision violated the rights of Telefe M International Ltd, which obtained the licence legally. On February 14, the Court of Appeals Chisinau suspend the BCC’s decisions so that the Romanian Television Corporation could resume retransmitting TVR 1 in Moldova from February 18. But the Court of Appeals’ decision was appealed to the Supreme Court of Justice by the BCC. The scandal around TVR1 arouse on July 31, 2007 when the BCC decided to put the network No. 2 used to retransmit TVR1 in Moldova for tender on the grounds that SRTV had failed to honour its contractual obligations. A number of BCC members as well as representatives of the civil society described the decision as illegal. But the Council did not change it. On September 27, the BCC gave the license for the network to the television channel 2 Plus (Telefe M International Ltd). In November, SRTV took legal action against the BCC, demanding half a million euros for damages. The next hearing will take place at the Court of Appeals on February 28.