Affiliated media: PRO TV Chisinau, TV channel

Incident date: January 29, 2018

Attack type:

• Selective application of repressive laws

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Association of Independent Press (API)

Location: Moldova, Chisinau

Additional information:

Accusations against undesirable television channels of acting as a cartel in the advertising market. Four TV channels, opposed by the ruling party in 2017, filed a complaint to the competition authorities, where they pointed out the cartel agreement of two of the country's biggest advertising companies owned by the politicians in power, aimed at pressuring these channels out of the TV advertising market. The complaint was well-evidenced, but the competition authority, under pressure from authorities, rejected the complaint after a three-year investigation. The channels asserted that his was financial pressure from the government for them to close down.