Mazeiks: TVC 21 License Suspension Not Well-Founded

The European Union Ambassador to the Republic of Moldova, Janis Mazeiks, criticized the recent decision by the government leadership to suspend the TVC 21 television channel’s license for 60 days, calling the move poorly justified. The diplomat made it clear that in such cases, the final say should rest with the Audiovisual Council, not with the Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects, ziua.md reports. “The problem lies not so much in the decision itself, but in its rather weak justification. This is one of the aspects that needs to be analyzed so that the decisions made are clear to the public and, accordingly, to those affected by them. The reasons are not always evident, and in my view, it is very important that the rationale be more clearly presented. When it comes to the media, the Audiovisual Council plays an important role, as it has the mechanisms to ensure that the media do not become sources of disinformation”, said Janis Mazeiks during the Moldova LIVE program on Exclusiv TV. On March 24, the Council for the Promotion of National Investment Projects decided to suspend the operating permits of SA “Cotidian,” which owns TVC21. The meeting’s official record was made public three days later. The television channel’s license was suspended for 60 days after the council, chaired by Prime Minister Dorin Recean, determined that “the documents and additional information submitted by SA “Cotidian” were incomplete and lacked convincing evidence”. Later, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson, Daniel Voda, clarified that the decision of the Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects was not related to the editorial policy, programs, or opinions of journalists and guests, but concerned solely an administrative matter involving the shareholders of the company that owns the television channel.