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Рy10 October 2017
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Four members of the People’s Assembly of the Autonomous Territorial Unit (ATU) Gagauzia have prepared a draft law on the rules of procedure for the Regional Public Broadcasting Company GRT. The authors of the draft law – Ecaterina Jecova, Alexandr Tarnavski, Gheorghi Efteni and Nicolai Ormanji – proposed changing the funding of GRT, so the company’s budget be made of 2.5% of Gagauzia’s own income. Other provisions refer to GRT’s management. Media experts see this draft law as an attempt to free the regional public broadcaster from political influence.
The draft law was published on the official website of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. Its authors organized public consultations at the end of September in the city of Comrat, which were attended by members of the People’s Assembly, media experts and representatives of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council. Representatives of GRT and members of the company’s Supervisory Board (SB) were, however, absent.
The document provides for changes in the company’s funding. According to it, GRT budget will receive at least 2.5% of the total income of Gagauzia. One of the authors of the draft law, People’s Assembly member and former president of GRT Ecaterina Jecova, explained to Media Azi that this year, for example, this amount would have been of about MDL 3.5 million, i.e. MDL 400 thousand more than the current budget of the company.
Ecaterina Jecova also said that the establishment of the exact percentage for the company’s funding will grant it some independence from the local authorities. “I am very aware of the gaps in the current law and why GRT used to get under the influence of one of the powers, either the legislative or the executive. Politicians tried to exercise their influence on television by financial means. In such cases they used to say either that they would no longer provide enough funding to the company or that they would replace its management,” she added.
In his turn, media expert Ion Bunduchi, president of the Electronic Press Association, who came up with several proposals to this document, also believes that the establishment of a concrete proportion of financing for the company could build a minimum of financial independence from local authorities: “It is not a perfect solution, but it is good in our conditions. Having the exact amount of funding can spoil the appetite of those who give out public money depending on how ‘obedient’ the institution is,” Bunduchi commented for Media Azi.
These changes will allow the company’s managers to increase salaries, argue the authors of the draft law. They also proposed creating a marketing department within GRT. In addition, the document provides for increasing the salary for the secretary of the company’s Supervisory Board. SB members will receive, according to the draft law, MDL 350 per meeting (payment will cover a maximum of three meetings per month).
If the document is adopted, 20% of GRT’s broadcasts will be products of independent local and national media, thus ensuring pluralism of opinions. The amount of domestic products will constitute at least 8 hours per day. At the same time, 50% of the total broadcasting will be in the Gagauz language, and by 2022 this amount shall reach at least 70%.
Regarding the composition of the SB, according to the draft law it shall be formed of two lawyers, two journalists, one economist and four more persons representing the fields of culture, sports or education. Also, authors propose granting SB members the right to elect only the general director of the company. Currently, they also appoint TV and radio editors.
For the draft law to be adopted, it needs to be voted by at least 18 members of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia.
The draft law was published on the official website of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia. Its authors organized public consultations at the end of September in the city of Comrat, which were attended by members of the People’s Assembly, media experts and representatives of the Broadcasting Coordinating Council. Representatives of GRT and members of the company’s Supervisory Board (SB) were, however, absent.
The document provides for changes in the company’s funding. According to it, GRT budget will receive at least 2.5% of the total income of Gagauzia. One of the authors of the draft law, People’s Assembly member and former president of GRT Ecaterina Jecova, explained to Media Azi that this year, for example, this amount would have been of about MDL 3.5 million, i.e. MDL 400 thousand more than the current budget of the company.
Ecaterina Jecova also said that the establishment of the exact percentage for the company’s funding will grant it some independence from the local authorities. “I am very aware of the gaps in the current law and why GRT used to get under the influence of one of the powers, either the legislative or the executive. Politicians tried to exercise their influence on television by financial means. In such cases they used to say either that they would no longer provide enough funding to the company or that they would replace its management,” she added.
In his turn, media expert Ion Bunduchi, president of the Electronic Press Association, who came up with several proposals to this document, also believes that the establishment of a concrete proportion of financing for the company could build a minimum of financial independence from local authorities: “It is not a perfect solution, but it is good in our conditions. Having the exact amount of funding can spoil the appetite of those who give out public money depending on how ‘obedient’ the institution is,” Bunduchi commented for Media Azi.
These changes will allow the company’s managers to increase salaries, argue the authors of the draft law. They also proposed creating a marketing department within GRT. In addition, the document provides for increasing the salary for the secretary of the company’s Supervisory Board. SB members will receive, according to the draft law, MDL 350 per meeting (payment will cover a maximum of three meetings per month).
If the document is adopted, 20% of GRT’s broadcasts will be products of independent local and national media, thus ensuring pluralism of opinions. The amount of domestic products will constitute at least 8 hours per day. At the same time, 50% of the total broadcasting will be in the Gagauz language, and by 2022 this amount shall reach at least 70%.
Regarding the composition of the SB, according to the draft law it shall be formed of two lawyers, two journalists, one economist and four more persons representing the fields of culture, sports or education. Also, authors propose granting SB members the right to elect only the general director of the company. Currently, they also appoint TV and radio editors.
For the draft law to be adopted, it needs to be voted by at least 18 members of the People’s Assembly of Gagauzia.
