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MAE requires clarifications as regards the elimination of the Radio-TV tax after the alert on the site of the European Council
The ministry of foreign affairs Lazar Comanescu required the senate a point of view with regards to the elimination of the Radio-Tv tax to send it further as reaction to the alert posted on the platform for the promotion of the protection of journalism on the site of the European Council.
The ministry of foreign affairs say that on 21 October on the Platform for the promotion of the protection of journalism and safety of journalists on the site of the European Council was posted an alert referring to the discussions at the level of the Romanian parliament about the elimination of Radio-Tv tax.
.‘The alert was introduced at the request of four NGOs in the domain of the liberty of the press according to which the elimination of radio-tv tax would affect the independence of the public services of radio and television and would make them vulnerable to political intervention’ the letter addressed to the leadership of the senate which is signed by minister Comanescu.
‘In the document they say that ‘ the Romanian authorities have the possibility to react at this alert by answering and posting it on the platform and brought to the attention of those who signalled the issue’.
‘At the level of the European Council there is already a practice of answering these alerts, the member states which are aimed bringing clarifications to the respective issues’ says MAE (MFA), mentioning that in March this year Romania was the object of a media alert on the platform, the subject of this alert being the danger of getting TVR into insolvency.
The platform for the promotion of the protection of journalism and safety of the journalists is a project of the European Council which has the purpose to monitor the breach of the liberty of expression and the independence of the media as well as the threats to the safety of the journalists. ‘ In the MAE evaluation, the presence for the second time on the specialised site of the European Council for the monitorisation of the breach of the liberty of the press is to place Romania in an unpleasant situation which contradicts both the position of hour country as regards human rights and fundamental liberties, as well as the current practice of respect for the democratic principles and of the state of right’ the document sent to the Senate says.
MAE says that it is necessary to draw up the answer of the Romanian party to the alert posted on the site of the European Council.
‘In the context where the public radio and TV stations develop their activity under the control of the parliament of Romania and in the light of the recent decision of the parliament to eliminate the Radio-Tv tax we address the request to send us some elements which were at the basis of the parliament decision to eliminate the radio-tv tax and the solutions considered for the ensurance of good functioning of the Romanian Socieety for Radiobroadcast and SRTV’ concludes the ministry of foreign affairs.
The vicechairman of the senate Ioan Chelaru stated after the meeting on Monday of the Standing office that the letter of the minister was sent to the commission for culture for the elaboration of a viewpoint.