Source: CIJM The Audiovisual Council (CA) has imposed fines of 100,000 lei for failure to protect the national audiovisual space. Cable television operators "Oguzsatlink" LLC and "ILK HALK TELEVIZIONU" LLC in Gagauzia were among those fined. They violated the provisions of the Code of Audiovisual Media Services (CSMA) by broadcasting informational and analytical programs from television stations in the Russian Federation and Belarus. The measure was taken after journalists from the Center for Journalistic Investigations exposed the violations committed by operators in the southern part of the country. Although as of March 2022, programs that incite hatred, war, and discrimination have been PROHIBITED, first by the decision of the Commission for Exceptional Situations, and later by a law passed by Parliament in June of last year. Both TV distributors and autonomy officials defy national regulations and, if caught red-handed, invoke the "local specificity."

"Oguzsatlink" LLC was fined 50,000 lei for rebroadcasting TV programs from the channels Первый канал, НТВ, Россия 1, РБК, Россия 24, Беларусь 24. According to information gathered in the investigation published on anticoruptie.md, S.R.L. OGUZSATLINK is the largest operator, and the owner is Stepan Piron, a businessman from Comrat.

Piron is also the administrator of the second company, "ILK HALK TELEVIZIONU" LLC, which also rebroadcasts TV programs prohibited by the CSMA from the channels Красная линия, НТВ, Россия 24, Беларусь 24. The fine imposed on this company was also 50,000 lei.

Both distributors have 24 hours to cease broadcasting programs that compromise the country's information security.

In addition, the operators in the southern part of the country were also fined for operating without a broadcast authorization or license. "Oguzsatlink" LLC, in violation of the law, rebroadcasts 58 television media services, while "ILK HALK TELEVIZIONU" LLC rebroadcasts 37. Both distributors received fines of 19,000 lei for operating without the required permit from the CA and must legalize their activities within 15 working days.

At the same time, "ILK HALK TELEVIZIONU" LLC was fined an additional 19,000 lei for broadcasting the TV channel "Первый народный" without holding a broadcasting license.

In total, distribution companies in Gagauzia are required to pay a fine of 157,000 lei and operate within the legal framework.

Another distributor did not escape a fine of 29,000 lei. This time it is "Steel Trading Group" LLC, a distributor in Gloden operating without a broadcast authorization. The CA has given them a period of 15 working days to legalize their activities.