Romanian Culture Minister, Kelemen Hunor, who is also the president of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania UDMR, believes that the main state - owned Romanian TV station TVR should choose the insolvency path to solve its problems.

Hunor  recently said that there are three main solutions for TVR, which is currently in dire straits, but in his opinion, the most acceptable one is insolvency. This way, the television can reach a balance in expenditures in about a year.

“The solution for TVR should be proposed by the Board of Directors. There are three major solutions at this point: entering a default state, insolvency, or the dissolution of the television. I don’t know what will be the Board’s decision, but from my point of view, an acceptable solution at this point is insolvency,” said Kelemen Hunor, quoted by local Mediafax.

This would not mean that the television would go bankrupt, but rather that there will be an economic recovery plan, he explained.

“In a year and a half, the television can reach a balance in expenditures. Currently, there are debts of RON 800 million, of which 500 million to the state budget and 300 million to third parties and the best solution has to be found for the public service to work,” added Hunor.

Governmental sources told local Mediafax that TVR’s entry into insolvency becomes a feasible solution after the Board of Director’s appointment at the Parliament meeting on Tuesday (April 1).

The option to increase the radio-TV tax would only be a momentary solution, according to the sources. Moreover, TVR needs restructuring and reorganization and a decision to increase the tax would only postpone the insolvency.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com