This measure is an obvious attempt to intimidate the strongest news station in Romania, Antena 3, part of the Intact Group. Antena 3 is the only television station which presented, in an elections year with a big stake, the overwhelming evidence of corruption at the highest levels, culminating in the presentation of evidence proving that the brother of President Basescu received bribes. After broadcasting the video recording concerning the bribery, Mircea Băsescu was arrested and the trial of Dan Voiculescu accelerated and finalized with an abuse.
Despite the pressures exerted on them so far, the group’s journalists will continue to do their job professionally.
"What happened today defies not only the practices of justice in a democratic country of the European Union, but also the rule of law, so often invoked by those who disregard the law. Today, in a flagrant violation of the right to a fair trial, my father is paying so that the press should not be of only one side in Romania. For courage.
Constantly fighting against a regime that seized the votes of 7.4 million Romanians, a regime that humiliated and wronged a lot of people, it cannot be stopped by this arbitrary abuse. Journalists of the group, which my father founded more than twenty years ago and which has become the most powerful media platform in Romania will continue to speak the truth about a system that means to confiscate dignity. The power of this group was built with the endorsement of the public trust, which honored us and confirmed our journalistic mission. Millions of people could see in the journalistic investigations of Antena 3, how the law is violated by law enforcement, how freedom is sold, becoming witnesses of creating a closed system that tramples basic rights and freedoms. (…)"I assure you that my father did not commit any wrongdoing. He fought, with dignity, courage and honor against a regime reminiscent of times we had considered forgotten. I am very proud of him!" Camelia Voiculescu said, shareholder and CEO of Intact Media Group (IMG).
Intact Media Group is the leader on the Romanian media market, with ratings on the rise for all intervals in July, being watched by an average of ten million Romanians daily. Intact thanks the public for their trust and support, and ensures that it will stay close to them, no matter how many obstacles they would have to overcome.