The Romanian public television will run out of money soon, interim GM says

The Romanian public television SRTv is "very close to the moment when it will not be able to operate anymore,” and the institution is to “enter a blockage” as of Friday, November 20, according to a letter sent by Irina Radu, SRTv’s interim general manager, to the Standing Bureau of the Chamber of Deputies. According to Irina Radu, SRTv’s financial planning by the end of the year includes a RON 5.5 million (some EUR 1.2 million) deficit at November 30, and a RON 19.17 million (EUR 4.3 million) deficit at December 31, 2015. “We add to this the perspective of having the accounts frozen by ANAF because of historical debts due in March-April 2016, of RON 15.5 million,” reads the letter cited by local Mediafax. Irina Radu added that the critical situation of the Romanian Television had been presented every year in the institution's annual activity reports submitted to the Parliament, which were “increasingly dramatic, making obvious the negative economic trend of the institution.” The interim general manager said that SRTv needed outside help to solve its issues. According to her, the support should come on several levels: changing the law on the organization and functioning of the public service broadcasters, identifying and supporting a solution to the historical debt especially in the 2006-2012 period, as well as developing and implementing a public television service project that can meet the society’s current requirements. Irina Radu took over as interim general manager of the Romanian public television is September this year, after the Parliament rejected the institution’s 2014 activity report and dismissed the institution’s board of directors and general manager Stelian Tanase. SRTv had EUR 18 million losses in 2014. TVR news manager resigns after Romania’s public television fails to cover nightclub tragedy on Friday night Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com