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In recent days, the media wrote about a possible repeal or review of the provisions of Audiovisual Media Services Code – that are known as the ‘Anti-propaganda Law’. This was announced by Adrian Lebedinschi, socialist MP, the Chair of Parliamentary Committee for culture, education, research, youth, sport and mass-media. Politicians comment on the possible initiative in different ways.
Last week, citing Adrian Lebedinschi, a number of media outlets reported about an possible initiative of socialist MPs on the repeal or review of the ‘Anti-propaganda Law’, which did not allow to broadcast certain categories of shows from the Russian Federation.
Adrian Lebedinschi underlined that currently there is no such draft law. He did not deny that it could be developed, especially if the parliamentary majority would support it.
At the same time, he said that implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Code will be reviewed at the beginning of next year. After this, a number of its provisions could be amended.
When asked to comment on such initiative, Prime Minister Ion Chicu said that he advocated for the free media broadcasting in the Republic of Moldova. ‘I believe that the media must be free and consumers must have access to all the information, except the one which distorts the truth and promotes extremist and violent messages. Any media outlet, which observes the Code of Ethics, must have access to the Moldovan market. I support the total media’s openness, giving consideration to the restrictions I talked about’, Ion Chicu said.
The factions of ‘Acum’ Bloc declare that they will not support the repeal of legal provisions. The head of PAS faction, Igor Grosu, commented for Media-azi.md that mechanism of combating both external and internal propaganda, vice versa, should be strenghtened. ‘We should find out how to make this law as effective as possible, because the issue of propaganda, especially the propaganda coming from the East, is a pressing one. The issue of internal propaganda is equally important. We have to make the tool of combating internal and external propaganda as efficient as possible’, Igor Grosu told us.
Furthermore, Alexandru Slusari, Chair of PPDA faction, argues that members of his parliamentary group will not vote a possible amendment on giving up the prohibitions imposed on certain categories of programs from certain states.
PDM MPs, who, actually, developed the ‘Anti-propaganda Law’, have yet to comment its repeal or whether they would support such draft.
In December 2017, the Parliament adopted the law on granting broadcasters rights to broadcast programs with informative, analytical-informative, military, and political content which are produced in the EU Member States, the USA, Canada, as well as in the countries which ratified the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. In fact, that meant prohibition to broadcast programs from the respective categories from other states, including the Russian Federation. The then socialist opposition criticised the law which entered into force in February 2018. President Igor Dodon did not ratify it – this was done by the then Speaker of the Parliament, Andrian Candu.
Photo source: Stiri.md
