Controversy surrounds Moldova's new Russian-language TV station
The ruling party's proposal to launch Moldova 3, a new television station exclusively in Russian on Teleradio-Moldova, has sparked significant debate.
While the government argues that the project could help promote the learning of Romanian and foster the integration of national minorities, the opposition insists on the need for broad public consultations and political consensus before making a final decision. The topic has also been discussed on the public TV program "Bună seara" on Moldova 1.
"A public channel could produce programming focused on this issue," said government spokesperson Daniel Vodă during his appearance on "Bună seara." "We already have thousands of citizens—more than 6,000 people enrolled in state-funded Romanian language courses. A public station can create productions dedicated to this topic. It’s an issue that has sparked widespread discussion. As someone who values the clamor of democracy, I believe it’s an issue that needs further debate, as the best decisions are made through consensus."
In response, Bogdan Țîrdea, a deputy from the Bloc of Communists and Socialists, expressed reservations about the initiative, noting that Russian-language programming and ethnic minority language programs would not be sufficiently represented on the public channel. He emphasized that his party supports organizing extensive consultations, including with opposition parties.
The question arises: why is another project necessary within this television station? "We believe public discussions are necessary, along with a consensus on this issue, and an exchange of ideas with all opposition parties, including extra-parliamentary ones, to foster consensus on this matter," said Țîrdea. "Today, we are quite reserved about this idea."
Ștefan Gligor, the leader of the Party of Change and a member of the "Împreună" political bloc, believes that there is a need for more media content in Russian, including political, economic, and social analysis at both national and international levels. However, he questions the effectiveness of launching a new TV station exclusively in Russian.
"Is the launch of a new television station broadcasting exclusively in Russian the answer to this challenge? I don’t know. That’s why I think a broad consultation process is necessary, involving media experts who can assess how quickly such a station can be created, the quality of its programming, and whether it will truly address the challenges we face."
On Wednesday, news broke that Teleradio-Moldova might launch a new television station exclusively in Russian. This legislative initiative was announced by PAS deputies Eugeniu Sinchevici and Natalia Davidovici, who argue that the new channel would provide an alternative source of information for Russian-speaking citizens in Moldova and combat misinformation. The proposal has triggered a wave of reactions and debates in the public domain.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
