Romanian Union 'Mediasind' against Political Interference in Public Broadcaster

The Executive Committee of U.S. MediaSind decided to resume the actions of protest towards the political class refuse to come with a solution to the depoliticizing problem of the public radio and television. 

The fourth project of law initiated by the President of the Parliamentary Commission for Culture, Arts and Mass-Media, Raluca Turcan, instead of decreasing the politicians’ number in the Administration Boards, reduces the number of the employees’ representatives, being practically an attack to the employees’ rights and freedom. Through the tergiversation of this law appearance, the conflicts between the employees and the leadership of the Romanian Radio Society have worsened. Starting with today, February 15, the employees have begun the Japanese strike and the editors from Iasi Radio, Valeriu Stefan and Adrian Grajdeanu, have begun the hunger strike. At the same time, the Romanian Radio Society Syndical Federation, member of U.S. MediaSind, continues the actions started at court against the leadership of SRR. 

Therefore, the Executive Committee of U.S. MediaSind decides the following: 
1. To demand the Romanian Parliament the dismissal of the Administration Board from the Romanian Radio Society and the appointment of a provisional leadership until the new law regarding the organization and functioning of the two institutions appears. 
2. To demand the Romanian Parliament the organization of a national debate at which all the involved factors from mass-media should participate in order to elaborate, as soon as possible, the project of law regarding the Romanian Radio Society and the Romanian Public Television. 
3. To start actions of protest in the street in front of the Romanian Parliament, Presidency and Government the following period, if the political parties do not take into consideration the demands of U.S. MediaSind. 
4. To encourage and participate to the Japanese strike started at SRR and to support the actions of Valeriu Stefan and Adrian Grajdeanu from Iasi Radio. 

U.S. MediaSind demands all its 8500 members to analyze the opportunity of starting the Japanese strike at the entire level of mass-media branch, because the politicians’ attack towards the public institutions of radio and television can become, at any time now, an attack to the entire Romanian press. Supporting U.S MediaSind demands, the National-Syndical Block has already informed the International Labour Organization, the European Commission and the European Trade Unions Organzation, considering that “the project of law represents an attack to the employees’ rights and freedom, such as they are stated in the conventions of the International Labour Organization and the European Union directions.” 

Moreover, on Monday, February 20, representatives of U.S. MediaSind will come to Bruxelles for a meeting with Aidan White, General Secretary of the International Federation of Journalists, in order to establish the actions of protest at international level.

U.S. MediaSind demands all syndical and employers’ confederations, the Romanian Press Club and the professional organizations to make common cause with the journalists from the public radio and television. 


U.S. MediaSind President, 
Cristi Godinac