Moldova's TV Council Bans Rossiya 24 Broadcasts

Moldova's Council for TV and Radio has suspended the broadcast license of Rossiya 24 (Russia 24) TV channel.

The council on July 4 also placed sanctions on four Moldovan broadcasters.

The council crticized the channels for "not having pluralism of opinions during news programs."

Council member Dinu Cokan said Rossiya 24 was the worst offender with analytical programs presenting only one viewpoint on the Ukrainian conflict,.

"Only one source exists," he said. "Such a TV channel should not be on the list of channels broadcasting in Moldova."

The Moscow Union of Journalists has criticized the measure.

Pavel Gusev, the union's head, told ITAR-TASS, "A ban on the transmission of Rossiya-24 channel, popular with the Russian-speaking population, is a highly unfriendly act against our media."

Based on reporting by Interfax and ITAR-TASS