Authorities seize EUR 34 mln assets belonging to Romania's public broadcaster

Romania’s National Fiscal Administration Agency (ANAF) seized assets belonging to the Romanian public broadcaster TVR worth RON 154 million (EUR 34 million) to recover the company’s debts to the state budget, reports local Profit.ro. The inspectors seized various assets, ranging from telecommunications equipment worth tens of millions of lei to the famous access gateways from the Ermil Pangratti and Calea Dorobanti streets. According to latest available information, the public broadcaster had total debts of over RON 500 million (EUR 110 million) to the state budget. ANAF’s decision to seize some of TVR’s assets does not affect the institution’s activity, according to an official answer of TVR. Between 2009 and 2016, TVR gathered total net losses of over RON 620 million (EUR 138 million). The biggest losses were recorded in 2010, 2011 and 2012, while 2013 was the only year with a profit. Starting February 1, the TV and radio tax, an important revenue source for the pubic television, was removed. In 2015, the public broadcaster TVR collected from this tax some EUR 74.3 million, which represented two-thirds of the institution’s budget. The TV tax was replaced with direct financing from the state budget. The Government allotted some RON 950 million (EUR 211 million) to TVR this year, but the public television will have to use most of the money to pay its debt to the state. editor@romania-insider.com