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There was much tension at the meeting, which was attended by the candidates and the media. The members of the Commission did not hesitate to attack each other and exchange spiteful comments. The tension reached culmination when the results of the secret voting were announced, namely that only two candidates - Olga Gututui, Adviser to the Parliamentary Commission on Media, and Dragos Vicol, university professor - received the required number of votes (6 white balls), while the last vacancy was not filled.
Some were outraged about how the members of the Commission voted when it came to Oleg Brega. Initially, the Socialists said that they would not vote any candidate, but when they saw that Oleg Brega garnered only 5 votes, while 6 were needed to be selected, they requested that the voting be repeated, to support that candidate. However, during repeated voting, when two Socialists cast their votes for Oleg Brega, he garnered only four votes: three of the persons who had voted for him earlier must have changed their mind and have chosen not to vote for him again. The MP representing the Socialist faction, Ion Ceban, insisted to be given the recording of the meeting to find out how it could have happened that "five votes plus two votes total ... four votes, eventually". In his turn, candidate Oleg Brega asked the committee members why they had opted for secret voting for public offices, the response being that "the regulation on appointing BCC members provided so". "It seems that they could not just pretend that I was an insignificant candidate and the tacit agreement was to give me many votes, just not enough to grant me BCC membership. Therefore, when the Socialists expressed desire to give me their votes some members of the Commission changed their minds," Oleg Brega explained.
The other candidates to BCC membership were just as disappointed about the way the hearings were held at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee.
Journalist Alexander Grosu, former director general of the State National Broadcaster "Teleradio-Moldova", said that he would not candidate for such public office any more, "as long as the members are elected based on their political engagement". "How come that out of the ten contenders they could not elect one more person, so that all vacancies on the BCC are filled? If they really want a broadcasting reform, the members of the Commission must have expertise; otherwise, nothing good will come out of it in future," told Alexandru Grosu to Media Azi.
Another candidate, Boris Iarusevschi, also told us that he had had other expectations when he decided to participate in the tender. "BCC should consist of professionals. I stressed it repeatedly in the speech I gave in front of the Commission. I am not upset that I was not elected, but I wish the broadcasting self-regulatory body consisted of people having the necessary expertise, who can tackle the issues the BCC is facing," stated Mr. Iarusevschi.
Meanwhile, in the opinion of the Chairman of the Parliamentary Commission on Media, Vladimir Hotineanu, "there were no violations" during the deliberative meeting. In his words, "The Broadcasting Code provides for freely cast secret vote. It is a tradition of the Commission. An additional round of recruitment will be initiated to fill the last vacancy on the BCC; all contenders are welcome," stated Mr. Hotineanu to the press after the meeting adjourned.
It should be mentioned that eight of the ten qualified applicants were heard at the meeting of the Commission: Zinaida Jioara, Alexandru Grosu, Oleg Brega, Dragos Vicol, Veronica Cojocaru, Boris Iarusevschi, Tudor Osoianu, Olga Gututui. Valentin Todercan did not show up, although he was admitted to the tender, while Carmelia Albu withdrew from the tender.
Three vacancies opened at the BCC once the mandates of Vitalie Tabunscic, Ignat Vasilache and Marian Pocaznoi expired.
