The Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure announced the initiation of public consultations on a bill that envisions the extension of the deadline for switching over to digital television until March 1, 2020. The time limit set initially was June 17, 2015. This was later extended until December 31, 2017, IPN reports.

The informative note to the bill says a part of the broadcasters that obtained broadcast licenses for using the capacities of Multiplex A with national coverage requested the Broadcasting Coordination Council to extend the deadline by which they were to start to broadcast through the multiplex for financial reasons. There is a risk that these will broadcast only through cable TV if the analog terrestrial television is ceased on December 31, 2017. Thus, the programs of the TV channels received now in analog format will not be broadcast.

The informative note reminds that the authorities pledged to ensure access to audiovisual program services for socially deprived families when the analog terrestrial television is no longer available. These families are to be provided free with converters for receiving the digital TV signal with state budget funds. “Nothing has been done in this regard so far as the necessary funds haven’t been identified in the state budgets for 2015-2017,” says the document.

Contacted by IPN, media expert Eugeniu Rybka said the deadline is extended without plausible reasons. “The motive is not the limited capacity of the company “Radiocomunicatii” to cover Moldova’s territory with digital signal, but the fact that the governments of the last few years didn’t ensure conditions for the population of the Republic of Moldova to receive the digital signal. According to the latest information, at least 80% of Moldova’s territory is covered with digital TV signal,” stated the expert.