Albasat TV suspected of hiding incomes of over 400,000 lei

The police suspect the channel Albasat TV based in Nisporeni of not including incomes of 420,000 lei in its bookkeeping documents for 2007. Such a figure was obtained after calculating the number of subscribers to cable television and the price of subscription, Iurie Cater, division head at the Interior Ministry’s Division for Preventing and Combating Cybernetic, Informatics and Transnational Offenses, told a news conference on Tuesday. According to Iurie Cater, 20 persons subscribed to cable television services told that they did not receive receipts when they paid the subscription. Contacted by Info-Prim Neo, Efim Bardan, the director of Albasat TV, said that in 2007 the channel broadcast through MMDS systems and then switched to the cable network. “We had many beneficiaries that did not pay for the services. Today, we broadcast through cable and through this alternative system as well and all the money collected is recorded. We do not have additional sources,” Efim Bardan said. After carrying out an inspection at the office of the broadcaster, the police established that all the computers used by the company did not have protection for the author’s right and related rights. Efim Bardan denied the accusations, saying that the all the software used by the company is licensed. The police inspected Albasat SRL after a number of employees of the channel filed complaints, Iurie Cater said, denying any connection with the electoral period. He said that similar inspections were carried out at other channels as well. “The channel’s director was informed about the check and was asked to present all the necessary documents. But he presented only the registration documents and instructed the company’s employees to leave the office,” Bardan said. On the other hand, the administration of the channel told a news conference earlier that the policemen that searched Albasat TV on February 25 wore civilian clothes and presented no permits and authorization for inspection. Euronova Media Grup, which incorporates Albasat TV, considers that the search was carried out by the order of the Communist Party and is related to the legislative elections. “Only the Communist Party that fully controls Moldova’s Ministry of the Interior can create an ad-hoc commando to attack a mass media outlet illegally,” a communique from Euronova Media Grup says.