The six companies which owned TV channels whose licenses were suspended remain without permission documents: it means that the channels will be unable to return to the TV screen after the state of emergency is over. The decision was taken by the Council for Promoting Investment Projects of National Importance, according to the document consulted by Media Azi.
The document signed by Ion Iordachi, Deputy Director of the Investment Agency, specifies that the decision was taken at the meeting of the Council held on December 27. It is about temporary suspension of the validity of the permission documents of such companies as Telesistem TV, Media-Resurse, Archidoc Group, Media Pro Group, General Media Group Corp, and Telestar Media.
“This action is imposed as a result of the statement made by the Council for investments in the spheres of importance for the state security in relation to the listed legal entities, for the term necessary to provide the information and documents stipulated by Art. 7 para. (2) of the Law on the Mechanism for Examining the Investments of Importance for State Security to obtain preliminary approval,” the document states.
On October 30, the Commission for Exceptional Situations (CES) ordered to suspend the broadcasting licenses of the six TV channels (Orizont TV, ITV, Prime TV, Publika TV, Canal 2, and Canal 3). The event was similar to the one dated December 16, 2022, when the CES ordered to suspend the broadcasting right of the six other TV channels (Primul in Moldova, RTR Moldova, Accent TV, NTV Moldova, TV6, and Orhei TV). The list of the reasons cited includes, on the one hand, the fact that certain individuals and/or legal entities subject to international sanctions controlled the TV channels subject to the restriction, and on the other hand, the fact that the BC had previously monitored and sanctioned those media service providers for the lack of correct information while covering the national events and the war in Ukraine.