Piracy on TV cannot be combated in Moldova until a new legislation is adopted, said Chairman of the “Apollo” Association for Culture Development and Copyright and Related Rights Vasile Nastase.

 

At the Wednesday’s news conference at Infotag he said that as long as TV channels translate their own programs, they will try to fill the broadcasting network with foreign films by means of piracy, signing contracts with offshore firms in Virgin Islands.

 

“We stand for adoption of a new TV and Radio Broadcasting Code or demand that the Parliament to vote for the draft we elaborated in 2015, including 10 amendments to the current Code”, Nastase said.

 

He maintains that broadcasters should be in equal conditions of a healthy competition.

 

“Preventing and combating piracy in Moldova is a priority for our association, while the implemented activity is mainly directed to protecting consumers from problems, piracy products and ensuring of a fair competition in the market. The Apollo association is monitoring the activity of the following TV channels: PRIME, Moldova 1, CTC Mega TV, ALT TV, Euro TV, Bravo TV, Canal 2, Canal 3, Ren TV Moldova for identifying piracy”, the Apollo Chairman said.

 

According to him, due to his organization’s efforts, the piracy phenomena in electronic media went down to 35% from 85% since 2010.

 

“A comparative statistical analysis demonstrates that since July 2015 the piracy is lowering. Currently, there are suspicions of piracy in screening a part of films on the Canal 3 and the Prime channels, which are part of the General Media Group holding. Other TV channels reduced the broadcasting of movies, produced in the US or are screening films and TV serials of Russian origin”

 

For combating piracy, the Apollo directs letters with concrete data about monitoring of TV channels to large companies, such as Warner Brothers Inc., Universal Pictures Inc., Walt Disney, Columbia Pictures Inc.

 

Nastase said that with the US Embassy’s assistance, two videos about combating piracy in electronic media were produced. These were approved by the Audiovisual Coordinating Council and are screened on a number of TV channels for raising society’s intolerance for the piracy phenomenon.