Media NGOs asking the Parliament to appoint members of the Supervisory Board of the public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova

Non-governmental organizations working in the media field are asking the Parliament to speed up the process of selection and appointment of members to the Supervisory Board (SB) of the national public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova, so as to ensure the functionality of this autonomous managing authority.
 
It should be noted that the SB, whose duty is to ensure compliance with the public interest, promotion and protection of the independence and diversity of the broadcaster’s editorial policy, lost its functionality and ability to make decisions in December 2013, after the powers of six of its nine members expired. In December, as the result of a contest, the Broadcasting Coordinating Council chose twelve candidates, who were then proposed to the Moldovan Parliament. The parliamentary committee on mass media examined the candidates’ programs in April 2014, but so far it has failed to choose candidates to be proposed to the Parliament plenum for appointment.
 
Subsequently, the President of the parliamentary committee for mass media Chiril Lucinschi said that new SB members would be appointed after candidates are discussed by parliamentary groups. However, according to some media experts, the process of appointment of new members is being delayed due to political reasons.
 
The non-functionality of the Teleradio-Moldova Supervisory Board for six months has already caused some problems in the institutional organization and performance of the national public broadcaster, and further delay in appointment of new SB members can seriously affect the broadcaster’s operation.
 
Signatories find any political interference with the appointment of new members to the Supervisory Boards of Teleradio-Moldova inadmissible and are asking the parliamentary committee on mass media to promptly examine the issue of appointment of the six members of the SB, and the plenum of the Parliament to confirm their appointment by voting before the start of the parliamentary vacation.
 
Independent Journalism Center
Association of Independent Press
Electronic Press Association
Association of Independent TV Journalists
“Acces-info” Center
Journalistic Investigations Center
Press Freedom Committee