Reports
MEDIA WATCHDOG CLAIMS COURTS INTERFERE INTO ITS WORK
Chisinau. The Audiovisual Coordinating Council (ACC) has stood up with accusations against Moldovan judiciary institutions, “who interfere into our activities”.
ACC Chairman Gheorghe Gorincioi stated at a news conference in Infotag today that this interference trend emerged in 2009, and “we regard it as an attempt to undermine the regulatory organ’s authority. The ACC issues broadcasting licenses and permissions proceeding strictly from the Code of Television and Radio Broadcasting, whereas courts’ judgments go contrary to the legislation in force. In 2009 alone, the Council was forced to withdraw 15 radio frequencies from contests by court decisions”.
Now, he said, the ACC is going to seek justice with the Supreme Court, and is resolute to go as far as the European Court of Human Rights, if need be.
Gheorghe Gorincioi provided several examples, one of them being the recent decision of a court that demanded that the ACC must extend the ProTV-Chisinau channel’s broadcasting license – automatically.
“That judgement went contrary to the law, according to which electronic media operators, holding licenses given to them long ago on the basis of the previous, old Code of Television and Radio Broadcasting, may not count on an automatic extension of their licenses. They must apply for a public contest for frequencies. Naturally, we shall challenge the court judgement concerning ProTV at the European Court of Human Rights”, stated the ACC Chairman.
Also, he dismissed accusations that the ACC is allegedly discriminating some Russian-speaker electronic media and that some political parties and politicians are allegedly pressing on the Council. He stated the ACC is an independent organization working in accordance with the legislation and law-stipulated internal rules.
Gheorghe Gorincioi stressed that in 2009 the Council helped attract investment in Moldova to a total amount of some 42 million euros. And in 2010, for instance, the Publika TV channel, to start working soon, will invest in Moldova approximately 5 million euros.
In his words, a project to introduce digital television will be launched in Moldova in 2010, and “by the end of the year, two multiplexes will be installed, which will let 16 channels work in Moldova – with full national territory coverage. So, the current fierce struggle for nation-wide frequencies will soon pass into oblivion”.
