Media nongovernmental organizations issued a statement by which they call on the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia to reject the bill to amend the Law on Television and Radio implemented in the region. The statement says the bill contains a series of proposals that run counter to the Constitution of the Republic of Moldova and the national legislation, IPN reports.
The media NGOs said the proposals are aimed at modifying the legal procedure for issuing broadcast licenses and retransmission authorizations by transferring these duties to the executive committee of Gagauzia and by substituting the legal powers of the Broadcasting Coordination Council to supervise the observance of the broadcasting legislation by the holders of broadcast licenses and retransmission authorizations and to penalize them if they commit violations. It is also proposed changing the procedure for naming and dismissing the members of the Supervisory Board of the regional public broadcaster “Teleradio-Gagauzia” and giving new powers to this Board.
“We consider the adoption of provisions that run counter to the legislation of Moldova and that will lead to the substitution of the legal powers of the authorities that regulate the broadcasting activity is inacceptable, while the modification of the procedure for appointing and the institution of the procedure for firing members of the Supervisory Board will lead to reduced impartiality, to a higher risk of polarization and to the manipulation of this body,” reads the statement.
The statement was signed by the Independent Journalism Center, the Independent Press Association, the Electronic Press Association (APEL), the Center “Acces-Info”, the Association for the Development of Culture and Protection of Copyright and Related Rights (APOLLO), the Journalistic Investigations Center, the Association of Independent Telejournalists, and the Committee for the Freedom of the Media. The Youth Center “Pelerigrim-Demo” of Gagauzia also subscribed to the statement.
The legislative initiative of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia was earlier condemned by the Broadcasting Coordination Council, which accused the Gagauz legislative body of trying to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Moldova.
The bill was subject to a round of debates last weekend. During the debates it was proposed that the examination of the bill should be postponed until after the local elections of 2015.
