Moldovan authorities have revoked the licences of five channels on suspicion that they are financed from shady sources, the Moldovan government’s official website reported.
The Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects of State Importance decided on Thursday to deny preliminary approval for investments of state security importance and revoke authorisation certificates for television broadcasting and audiovisual services for three companies. The government said in a statement:
“The Council for the Promotion of Investment Projects of National Importance decided to revoke authorisation acts for television broadcasts and audiovisual services in the case of three companies.”
The companies in question are those that own five TV channels: “Primul în Moldova”, “Accent TV”, “Horizon TV”, “Canal 2” and “Canal 3”. These companies failed to fulfil the requirement to provide full information on bank accounts and sources of funding.
After checking each of the three companies, the council found transactions that confirm links to Shor party founder Ilan Shor and businessman Vladimir Plahotniuc.
Ilan Shor is the founder of the Shor party, which a Moldovan court has ruled illegal. In 2023, he received a 15-year prison sentence in absentia for embezzling about $1bn from three Moldovan banks: Banca de Economii, Unibank and Banca Sociala.
The Moldovan court also accused Vladimir Plahotniuc – a former MP and one of the country’s richest businessmen – of money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment, as well as withdrawing $1bn from the country’s banking system.
