CHISINAU, July 4 (RAPSI) – Moldova’s television watchdog has suspended the broadcasts of Russia’s Rossiya-24 TV channel in the republic until January 1, 2015, RIA Novosti reports on Friday.

“Earlier Russian channels received public warnings about the content of news programs. We suspended the broadcasts of the Rossiya-24 TV channel until January 1, 2015, while TV7 [which rebroadcasts NTV] and Prime [which rebroadcasts Channel-1] received public warnings,” head of the television watchdog, Marian Pokaznoy said.

The watchdog said the reason for the decision was the channel’s non-compliance, with Moldovan television regulations. The channels rebroadcasting NTV, Channel-1, RTR and REN-TV were fined.

“If RTR and REN-TV in Moldova don’t change their policies, decisions will be made to suspend the right to place advertising, then to suspend the licenses and then, in accordance with the law, to revoke the licenses,” explained Pokaznoy.

In April, checks on Russian channels started in Moldova, requested by parliamentary deputy Anna Gutsu. According to Gutsu, this measure is necessitated by “the need to provide informational security in the country” in relation to the events in neighboring Ukraine.