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European Broadcasting Union ousts Romanian Television, leaving country out of Eurovision Song Contest
The European Broadcasting Union has cancelled on Friday the membership of Romania's public television TVR, following the non-payment of debts totalling 16 million Swiss francs, the eurovision.tv website announced.
"TVR will now no longer be able to participate in the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest and will lose access to other EBU member services including the Eurovision News and Sports News Exchanges, the right to broadcast specific sporting events, legal, technical and research expertise and lobbying services. The decision was made after a deadline given to the Romanian government to make satisfactory arrangements to repay the debt expired on Wednesday 20 April," reads a release on this website.
EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre said: "It is regrettable that we are forced to take this action. We are disappointed that all our attempts to resolve this matter have received no response from the Romanian government. In recent weeks the EBU has taken note of the Ministry of Finance's suggestion that TVR may be placed into insolvency proceedings which may in turn lead to a profound restructuring of the broadcaster. The EBU is a not-for-profit association which represents 73 Public Service Broadcasters in 56 countries. The continued indebtedness of TVR jeopardizes the financial stability of the EBU itself," adds the same source.
The Romanian act will be taken out from the running order of the second semifinal of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest on 12 May 2016. As the official CD for the 2016 contest has already been produced, it also contains the Romanian entry; the EBU has decided to keep the digital record of the song available for download and streaming, as a courtesy to the artist.
The Romanian Television Broadcasting Corporation (SRTv) says in a release, after the meeting carried out on Friday at the Finance Ministry headquarters, between Romanian Television (TVR) representatives and ministry officials, that the current legislative framework does not allow the Romanian Television's financial salvage.
According to the release, TVR was represented to the Public Finance Ministry by Irina Radu, George Orbean and Monica Ghiurco, Board members, Cristian Zgabercea, general producer, and Ioana Silea, Financial Service chief.
"The discussions were firstly aimed at the situation generated by Romania's exclusion from the Eurovision song contest and the European Broadcasting Union's (EBU) withdrawing TVR's member services, and the general situation at the Romanian public television. Following the meeting, we came to the conclusion that, at the moment, because of the legislative framework, the Public Finance Ministry finds it impossible to get involved in financially supporting the Romanian Television. Unfortunately, these talks cannot solve Romania's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest nor can they prevent TVR's exclusion from the EBU," the TVR release reads.
The Romanian Television also mentions that starting 2010 it drew the attention of all institutions in charge in Romania about the fact that the outdated legislation, which led to the chronic underfinancing of the public television, must be changed.
SRTv also says that the development of the situation revealed that, by own means, in the context of an outdated legal framework and chronic underfinancing, TVR cannot continue to fulfill the public mission, according to the provisions of the functioning law and the Constitution.
The situation generated by Romania's elimination from the Eurovision contest will be debated on Sunday, starting 21,10, by Iuliana Marciuc, national selection producer, and Ovidiu Anton, Eurovision Romania 2016 winner, together with their guests, the release also reads.