The national public broadcaster “Teleradio-Moldova” (TRM) this year hasn’t broadcast the religious service officiated at the Metropolitan Cathedral “God’s Birth” on Chisinau City’s Day. Mayor of Chisinau Ion Ceban expressed his regret at this fact, saying that this happened for the first time. The Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova also expressed its bewilderment. TRM director Vlad Țurcanu said the public TV channel broadcast live a service on the Patron Saint’s Day but the one held at the Protection of the Mother of God Church in Chisinau, which has the same Patron Saint as Chisinau city, IPN reports.
The TRM director noted that “Teleradio Moldova” during the last few days broadcast a series of programs and feature reports about the Patron Feast of Chisinau and provided its Symphonic Orchestra conducted by master Gheorghe Mustea for staging cultural events on this occasion, at the request of the municipal authorities. This year TRM decided to broadcast the service from the Protection of the Mother of God Church situated in Chisinau.
According to Vlad Țurcanu, “Teleradio Moldova”, in accordance with the law and its own regulations, reserves the right to restrict the access to the public radio and TV stations to Moldovan citizens, including high-ranking church officials, who openly or indirectly support the military aggression against Ukraine, owing to which thousands of innocent people have died in the neighboring state.
In reaction, the Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova said the assertions of the national public broadcaster’s administration, by which the Metropolitan Church is subtly accused of openly or indirectly supporting the war in Ukraine, are tendentious.
“The Metropolitan Church of Chisinau and all Moldova notes that through the voice of His Holiness Metropolitan Bishop Vladimir, it unambiguously and fully expressed its opinion about the conflict in Ukraine as about a war between brothers that should be stopped immediately. In this connection, we voice hope that this regrettable situation will not represent a precedent and from now on the current administration of the public company “Teleradio-Moldova” will be objective as regards the covering of events of public interest for the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and especially of those from the Orthodox Church of Moldova, with which the overwhelming majority of citizens of this country identify themselves,” says a press release.
