Aneta Gonța takes helm at Moldova media regulator as Vițu steps down
Moldova's Audiovisual Council elected Vice President Aneta Gonța as its new head on August 3, following the resignation of Liliana Vițu. Gonța secured six out of seven votes during the council's session.
Vițu also confirmed she will step down as a council member. The government will now nominate a replacement to fill the vacant seat on the regulatory body.
Consolidated communications chief Nicoleta Lupu confirmed the step-down to public broadcaster Teleradio-Moldova.
Regulatory continuity and leadership transition
Aneta Gonța has served on the Audiovisual Council since December 2021, after being proposed by civil society organizations. She holds a doctorate in political science and a master's degree in journalism and communication sciences.
Her election coincided with Vițu’s public resignation announcement on social media.
Under Moldovan law, the council president is elected by secret ballot and requires at least five supporting votes. The president leads operational management, convenes meetings, manages the budget, and oversees staff hiring and dismissals.
Procedure for appointing a new member
Moldova's Audiovisual Code establishes a seven-member council serving six-year terms, appointed by Parliament.
Parliament proposes two members, the president and the government nominate one each, and civil society organizations propose three through a public selection process organized by a parliamentary committee.
When a vacancy occurs before a term expires, the original nominating authority selects a replacement. Because the government nominated Vițu in December 2021, the executive branch must name a candidate for parliamentary approval.
Reasons behind the resignation
Vițu announced her decision to step down on Monday, August 3, citing upcoming professional shifts.
"Due to an upcoming change in my professional life, I submitted my resignation today as president of the Audiovisual Council," she wrote, without providing further details.
Before joining the regulator, Vițu held key media and communications roles. She served as communications coordinator for the Swiss Cooperation Office in Moldova, spokesperson for former Prime Minister Iurie Leancă, strategic development director at the Center for Independent Journalism, and head of news at public broadcaster Moldova 1.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
