Reaction of Publika TV and Prime TV on Chiril Moţpan's groundless accusation
foto: publika.md
PPDA MP Chiril Moţpan, the President of Parliamentary Commission "Committee for national security, defense and public order”, has given offence against Publika TV, Prime TV. On Facebook, the politician published information with commercial character regarding the televisions' internal activity and commercial relations with their partners.
General Media Group Corp, the holder of audiovisual licence of Publika TV and Prime TV, condemns the politician's actions and qualifies them as extremely political abuse and direct attack against the press which doesn't succumb to political pressure and blackmail.
Here is the declaration of Publika TV and Prime TV regarding the accusations of Chiril Moţpan.
STATEMENT
Regarding commercial information taken over by the press from a post of ACUM MP Motpan Chiril on a social network on 24 September 2019 and which some news outlets have interpreted as referring to PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV, we would like to make the following clarifications:
1. We are disappointed to find that the politicians of the parties that are at the helm of the Republic of Moldova, using not only the public offices they hold, but also the state institutions that they have subordinated and control politically, continue media and institutional attack, by all possible means, on the inconvenient press, on our television channels PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV, whom the authorities could not subjugate from the editorial point of view and which have chosen, despite pressures and threats, not to yield and to adopt an editorial policy based on the principles of impartiality, pluralism, professionalism and journalistic ethics, prioritizing the public interest, the citizen’s right to free information, including on the activities of political parties, of the government and of state leadership.
2. We consider that the publication on the social network by ACUM MP Motpan Chiril, chairman of National Security, Defense and Public Order parliamentary committee, of some information that is largely erroneous, commercial in nature, related to internal activities and economic relations between a private company owning audiovisual licenses, and its trading partners, regardless of their status, is an inappropriate act, an act of intimidation, of denigration, of derision of information, which is strictly related to commercial relations of some economic partners in order to manipulate public opinion by suggesting the idea that these data would be disclosure of illegal facts, but, in fact, they partly represent the public information and which has no element that could be deemed illegal.
3. After an unjustified attack, just a few days ago, by another ACUM MP, Slusari Alexandru, at a press conference, where he could not prove the serious charges brought by him against PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV journalists, we are disappointed to find that there clearly is an organized, well-prepared, coordinated plan, implemented with the help of state institutions, among them political figures holding power, regardless of political color and misusing their public offices, they do everything to threaten, exert pressure and intimidate not only journalists and employees of our television channels, but also our partners, clients and employees with the clear goal of putting us in a difficult position, twisting the knife and even liquidating our activity.
4. We believe that these actions constitute a political abuse, facts of extreme gravity, a direct attack on the press that does not yield to political authorities’ pressure and blackmail, that does not accept political control over editorial decisions and that chooses to openly, correctly and transparently reflect abuses, irregularities and the activity of the Government and politicians, who have taken the lead of the country and seized the democratic institutions of the state.
5. We remind you that all our company operations are transparent, carried out in strict observance of the laws and norms in force, all this can be verified and proved at any time by any government control body.
6. We launch an appeal to all diplomatic missions accredited in Chisinau, but especially to organizations which are actively involved in the protection of freedom of press, liberties and rights of journalists, as well as to all independent news outlets to take note of these repeated abuses initiated by holders of political power and state institutions against our television stations, to publicly condemn them and to demand an immediate halt to the politically-motivated and institutionally organized lynching against our companies, and demand a stop to the aggressive campaign of manipulation, disinformation and dissemination of fake news against PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV television stations.
7. Furthermore, we remind you that PRIME TV is the single most viewed and most appreciated television broadcaster in the Republic of Moldova, according to all audience measurements and surveys carried out throughout the years. Moreover, PUBLIKA TV is the only news station in the Republic of Moldova, which, lately, registered a substantial increase in audience numbers and interest towards news, investigations, disclosures and shows we produce.
8. We assure all interested parties, our partners and staff members, but more so viewers of PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV that we shall continue fulfilling our mission to produce the best media products on the market, adhere to the highest standards in the field and that we shall observe our role of informing the public in a correct, professional and unbiased way.
9. Finally, we would like to point out that we reserve ourselves the right to initiate legal proceedings against anyone who would spread unfounded accusations, initiate unjustified attacks and denigration actions against our television stations and our journalists. Also, we shall demand directly from all those against whom we shall file suits to compensate for all our financial losses which we shall have incurred as result of moral and material damages.
Regarding commercial information taken over by the press from a post of ACUM MP Motpan Chiril on a social network on 24 September 2019 and which some news outlets have interpreted as referring to PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV, we would like to make the following clarifications:
1. We are disappointed to find that the politicians of the parties that are at the helm of the Republic of Moldova, using not only the public offices they hold, but also the state institutions that they have subordinated and control politically, continue media and institutional attack, by all possible means, on the inconvenient press, on our television channels PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV, whom the authorities could not subjugate from the editorial point of view and which have chosen, despite pressures and threats, not to yield and to adopt an editorial policy based on the principles of impartiality, pluralism, professionalism and journalistic ethics, prioritizing the public interest, the citizen’s right to free information, including on the activities of political parties, of the government and of state leadership.
2. We consider that the publication on the social network by ACUM MP Motpan Chiril, chairman of National Security, Defense and Public Order parliamentary committee, of some information that is largely erroneous, commercial in nature, related to internal activities and economic relations between a private company owning audiovisual licenses, and its trading partners, regardless of their status, is an inappropriate act, an act of intimidation, of denigration, of derision of information, which is strictly related to commercial relations of some economic partners in order to manipulate public opinion by suggesting the idea that these data would be disclosure of illegal facts, but, in fact, they partly represent the public information and which has no element that could be deemed illegal.
3. After an unjustified attack, just a few days ago, by another ACUM MP, Slusari Alexandru, at a press conference, where he could not prove the serious charges brought by him against PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV journalists, we are disappointed to find that there clearly is an organized, well-prepared, coordinated plan, implemented with the help of state institutions, among them political figures holding power, regardless of political color and misusing their public offices, they do everything to threaten, exert pressure and intimidate not only journalists and employees of our television channels, but also our partners, clients and employees with the clear goal of putting us in a difficult position, twisting the knife and even liquidating our activity.
4. We believe that these actions constitute a political abuse, facts of extreme gravity, a direct attack on the press that does not yield to political authorities’ pressure and blackmail, that does not accept political control over editorial decisions and that chooses to openly, correctly and transparently reflect abuses, irregularities and the activity of the Government and politicians, who have taken the lead of the country and seized the democratic institutions of the state.
5. We remind you that all our company operations are transparent, carried out in strict observance of the laws and norms in force, all this can be verified and proved at any time by any government control body.
6. We launch an appeal to all diplomatic missions accredited in Chisinau, but especially to organizations which are actively involved in the protection of freedom of press, liberties and rights of journalists, as well as to all independent news outlets to take note of these repeated abuses initiated by holders of political power and state institutions against our television stations, to publicly condemn them and to demand an immediate halt to the politically-motivated and institutionally organized lynching against our companies, and demand a stop to the aggressive campaign of manipulation, disinformation and dissemination of fake news against PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV television stations.
7. Furthermore, we remind you that PRIME TV is the single most viewed and most appreciated television broadcaster in the Republic of Moldova, according to all audience measurements and surveys carried out throughout the years. Moreover, PUBLIKA TV is the only news station in the Republic of Moldova, which, lately, registered a substantial increase in audience numbers and interest towards news, investigations, disclosures and shows we produce.
8. We assure all interested parties, our partners and staff members, but more so viewers of PRIME TV and PUBLIKA TV that we shall continue fulfilling our mission to produce the best media products on the market, adhere to the highest standards in the field and that we shall observe our role of informing the public in a correct, professional and unbiased way.
9. Finally, we would like to point out that we reserve ourselves the right to initiate legal proceedings against anyone who would spread unfounded accusations, initiate unjustified attacks and denigration actions against our television stations and our journalists. Also, we shall demand directly from all those against whom we shall file suits to compensate for all our financial losses which we shall have incurred as result of moral and material damages.