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The Government Action Plan for 2019-2020 Entered Into Force. What Does Provide the Media Chapter

13 September 2019
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În Moldova
The Government Action Plan for 2019-2020 entered into force today, 13 September, after a decision in this regard was published in the Official Gazette. As for the media, the document provides for the exclusion of fees for access to information for journalists, training the media managers and other actions.

According to the document, by December 2019, the Public Services Agency (PSA) should abolish or reduce the fees for access to information of public interest for journalistic purposes. Note that the State Secretary General, Andrei Spinu, recently said that the draft concerning the access of information without fee from PSA would be soon published, provided that journalists register as operators of personal data.

Another action included in the approved plan concerns the adjustment of ongoing training programs, which provide for the training of managers for all types of media. This need has been discussed for a long time among media experts.

At the same time, it is foreseen to amend the Audiovisual Media Services Code so that the leaders of the parties or the members of their executive bodies cannot hold stock in the share capital of the companies in the field of audiovisual media services. In theory, this provision could affect the PM Corneliu Furculita who owns the TV channels NTV Moldova, Exclusiv TV and is member of the Executive Political Committee PSRM.

Also, the Government intends to hold responsible the Competition Council and to facilitate the procedure of signaling cases of unfair competition or cartel agreements. We mention that so far, the Competition Council has not completed the investigation initiated at the request of a group of TV channels that signaled an alleged cartel agreement on the advertising market.

The Action Plan also provides for the establishment of a procedure for transparent and meritocratic selection of candidates for the position of members of the Supervisory Board of the national media service provider, as well as of the Broadcasting Council.

Another provision refers to the amendment of the regulatory framework concerning the contest for selecting the TV audience measurement company.

The Action Plan also foresees the development of regulatory acts necessary to implement the Law on Attracting Foreign Investments in Film Production and Other Audiovisual Works and to amend the Law on Press by transposing the provisions of Directive 2010/13/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2010.