City Hall rejects Antena C journalists’ proposal to institute moratorium on reorganisation decision

The Chisinau City Hall considers that the radio station Antena C staff’s request to suspend the decisions regarding the reorganisation of the municipal audiovisual institutions and concerning investment contests for putting “Antena C” and “Euro TV Chisinau” for sale can not be satisfied. Interim mayor of the capital Vasile Ursu informed the members of the Trade Union Committee of “Antena C” that the journalists’ request contravenes the law. At the beginning of the week, Antena C’s staff had requested the City Hall and Chisinau Municipal Council to institute a moratorium on reorganisation for a six-month period at least, to suspend the two decisions regarding the reorganisation and concerning the organisation of investment contests, and to create a conciliation commission. The journalists had announced that in case the proposal to initiate the negotiation procedure is rejected, they reserve themselves the right to organise protest actions, including a strike. As Vasile Ursu states, the procedure for instituting the moratorium is regulated by the Insolvability Law of November 14, 2001, and can not be applied in the case of an enterprise’s reorganisation. At the same time, the reorganisation takes place in compliance with the article 66 and article 68 of the Audiovisual Code. Vasile Ursu considers that the radio station’s journalists have no reason for staging a protest, including a strike.