BCC Requests a Lawsuit against a Law that might restrict the Freedom of Expression and establish the Broadcasting Censorship in the Gagauzian Autonomy

The Broadcasting Coordinating Council (BCC) submitted on Thursday, 31st of March, to the State Chancellery a request for starting a lawsuit against the Law on Television and Radio promulgated last week by the Governor of Gagauzia, Irina Vlah. The civil society also informed about its intention to urge the State Chancellery to bring the case to the courts for the annulment of this decision.

In early March, when the draft law was put on the agenda of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia (PAG), the media organisations warned about the serious consequences that such a law might have on the freedom of expression in the region. The civil society expressed a particular concern about the fact that, after the promulgation of the law, the Regional Public Company ”Gagauziya Radio Televizionu” (GRT) will be compelled to broadcast all the sessions of PAG, the congresses of deputies, the public debates held by local government authorities, as well as meetings, demonstrations, processions, religious services.

The employees of the company have sent an open letter to local authorities and to the BCC, requesting that the Supervisory Board of GRT Company acts in accordance with the legislation in force and ensures the stability of the company and staff activities.

Neglecting the civil society opinions, the members of the People’s Assembly passed the law and last week the Governor, Irina Vlah promulgated it.

"A number of media organisations are preparing a request to the State Chancellery for a court claim against this law. Individuals may also join us. We will submit our request, as soon as the law is published", Mihail Serkeli, director of “Piligrim-Demo” Public Association of the Gagauzian region told for Media Azi.

BCC has formerly brought to the attention of the State Chancellery a range of controversial decisions passed by PAG. For example, in 2014, PAG voluntaristically empowered itself to conduct the monitoring and the control of the observance of the Broadcasting Law of Gagauzia by broadcasters and service distributors and established a new procedure for electing and appointing the members of the Supervisory Board of „Gagauziya Radio Televizionu” Regional Public Broadcasting Institution, different from the one established by the Broadcasting Code of Moldova. The State Chancellery challenged in court this regulatory document issued in the Gagauzian autonomy.