Teleradio-Moldova to challenge Audiovisual Council's fine
Teleradio-Moldova will contest the decision of the Audiovisual Council (CA), which sanctioned the public television station with a fine of five thousand lei for allegedly broadcasting information that constitutes electoral agitation.
Specifically, the institution refers to a segment aired by Moldova 1 on election day, October 20, which presented profiles of the eleven electoral candidates. The administration of the company considers the CA's decision to be exaggerated. If the television station had adhered to the CA's approach, it would have needed to refrain from presenting the candidates' statements at the polling station on election day.
According to Vlad Țurcanu, the general director of Teleradio-Moldova, throughout the entire electoral campaign, including on election day, the public television station did not commit any violations warranting sanctions. The CA states in its decision that Moldova 1 presented “the profiles of the eleven electoral candidates according to the ballot, through the lens of their professions, the positions they have held, affiliations, political careers, public activities, involvement in various controversies, as well as the campaign slogan, and the information and statements recorded constitute electoral agitation.”
The company administration maintains that the audiovisual authority incorrectly determined that Moldova 1 engaged in electoral agitation. The public broadcaster, by reporting on who the eleven candidates are, did not aim to influence voters to cast their votes for specific candidates.
Furthermore, the company argues that if the Audiovisual Council applied these criteria, then all television stations in the country would be subject to sanctions. The administration considers this decision an exaggeration, which it will contest in court, hoping the judiciary will rule in its favour.
Teleradio-Moldova intends to seek a suspension of the enforcement of the decision in court, followed by its annulment. Article 1 of the Electoral Code defines electoral agitation as calls, statements, and actions aimed at broadcasting information that seeks to influence voters to cast their votes for certain electoral candidates or for one of the options in the referendum.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
