Raids at CNA: Prosecutors are checking the manner various TV stations were fined

DNA prosecutors on Thursday have searched several offices within the headquarters of the National Broadcasting Council (CNA).

The office of Laura Georgescu, CNA president, makes no exception, the searches taking place regarding a file on facts similar to those of corruption which allegedly have been committed this year.

According to judicial sources quoted by Mediafax, the prosecutors are checking the manner in which several TV stations were fined, suspecting that the head of CNA would have instigated various persons to draw false complaints with regards to these television channels.

The quoted sources said that the searches effectuated on Thursday at CNA headquarters are related to the castigation of Antena 3, Estrada TV, Etno TV and Taraf TV.

DNA prosecutors allegedly have indications that CNA president Laura Geogescu arranged to send several false complaints at the institution’s address, fact which led to having them debated in the Council’s plenary. The media watchdog would have been disposed the sanctioning of the four TV stations following these fake complaints.

Besides Laura Georgescu’s office, prosecutors have also searched the offices of Lorand Turos, CNA member with the monitoring service, and that of Valentina Petcu, secretary with the Council.

In September, the National Anticorruption Direction (DNA) announced that, in the case regarding the broadcast licensing of Giga TV, the Direction began the prosecution against Viorel Hrebenciuc, PSD MP at the time, Narcisa Iorga, who at that time was CNA member and whose mandate ended on October 13, Laura Georgescu, President of CNA, and Gheorghe Stefan, the mayor of Piatra Neamt.

Viorel Hrebenciuc is prosecuted in this case because, according to investigators, he got involved in order to convince CNA members to reconsider their decision of withdrawing Giga TV’s license.

Narcisa Iorga is investigated for supposedly having suggested the mayor of Piatra Neamt the way Giga TV’s license can be regained and whom to call for it, nominating Viorel Hrebenciuc.

Prosecutors also claim that Giga TV, for which Hrebenciuc would have intervened, had its license revoked on September 17, 2013, after having ceased to broadcast the programs for which it was granted the license, for over 96 hours, for any reasons attributable to the owner.