Moldovan authorities fine Russian radio programs: new law in force

A new law against Russian propaganda took force in Moldova on Feb 12. Moldova’s Coordination Council for TV and Radio has fined 18 radio broadcasters who failed to submit the concepts of their services within the deadline specified by the law.

The law was approved on Dec 22, 2017, and is aimed to ensure Moldova’s information security. For this purpose, it allows radio broadcasters to broadcast only news programs produced in the EU, the United States, Canada and the countries that have ratified the European Convention on Transfrontier Television. Russia has not ratified the convention. Consequently, its news programs in Moldova are banned.

“Radio broadcasters were obliged to harmonize their program with the new rules within 30 days following the publication of Monitorul Oficial al Republicii Moldova,” Chairman of the Council Dragos Vicol said.

The Council has approved the services of 32 radio stations and 36 TV channels. “It will be an unexpected monitoring: we will not let broadcasters know when we are going to monitor them. And we will do it very quickly,” Vicol said before the monitoring, noting that those who would prove to be unprepared for the new rules would be fined and even shut down.

“Some 20 radio stations and 15 TV channels will have to revise their concepts and to submit the revised versions by Feb 15, 2018,” Vicol said.

As EADaily reported earlier, on Jan 10, 2018, the law was ratified by Andrian Candu, Speaker of the Moldovan Parliament and Acting President of Moldova. Earlier, Candu refused to ratify the law and was even temporarily removed from his office for that.