The in Corpore Resignation of the 10TV Staff – In the Middle of the Censorship Imposed by the Management of the TV Channel and the Involvement of ‘Bercut’ Security Guards

The 10TV channel staff announced that they resigned in corpore because their management prohibited them from publishing a news on the message of a Member of the European Parliament that was criticising the government in Chisinau because of the decision to extradite the Turkish citizens. Anatol Ursu – anchor of ‘Sfatul Tarii’ talk show was among the first who announced about their resignation – four journalists and three studio technicians – by making a post on Facebook. His colleagues also announced their resignation from 10TV on the same social network. Media-azi.md got in touch with Silviu Tanase – the beneficial owner and administrator of the institution, but he refused to make any comments.
Anatol Ursu explained that the editorial team decided to leave as an act of solidarity with their colleague – Alina Panico, the newsreader, who was ‘sacked’. Later on, in a live transmission on Facebook, Anatol Ursu clarified that over the last couple of weeks, the management would suggest them how to tackle certain topics.
According to his statement, the team was allegedly told on the 26th of September not to publish the news about the criticising remarks made by Helmut Scholz of the left-wing GUE/NGL group in the European Parliament. Despite the instructions given, the team set up the coverage  and broadcast it. Later, Anatol Ursu found out that ‘Bercut’ security guards came at the editorial office who were supposed to take the journalist Alina Panico out.

The TV station management announced, subsequently, that it will not work for a while. According to Anatol Ursu, who quoted his managment, 10TV was to resume its activity without Alina Panico. As an act of solidarity, the entire team decided to resign. ‘Our colleague, Alina Panico, was fired. We also left as an act of solidarity because we were not willing to accept the conditions we were supposed to work in’, specified Anatol Ursu for Media-azi.md.
Asked whether the instructions came from Silviu Tanase, Anatol Ursu paused before answering only that: ‘He is the license holder. That’s all I can tell you.’
Alina Panico confirmed that she was fired for publishing the news on the statements of the MEP. ‘On Thursday – the 27th of September – I was told to leave because we broadcast that news during the 7 p.m. News Bulletin the day before. My colleagues told me that when I leave, they will leave too and specified that the ‘Bercut’ security guards were called by Silviu Tanase.

‘Sorry, I don’t have (time). Have a good day.’ – Silviu Tanase cut us short when we tried to find out what he thought about the matter. He never answered the message we sent him later.
No statement was ever made regarding this matter neither on the website of 10TV, nor on its Facebook page.
 
When launched, 10TV self-proclaimed itself as the first independent TV channel of Moldova, founded out of donations and grants and ‘informing equidistantly television watchers about the realities of the Republic of Moldova and of the world’. It started working in September 2016, in partnership with ‘Timpul’ Newspaper, led by the same Silviu Tanase, and with the Actiunea 2012 [Action 2012] unionist movement.