“This is Radio Free Europe” leaves Romania

After I listened this radio when I was a child and didn’t understand too much, today I was a bit sad to find out that, after BBC’s decision to close BBC Romania service, also Radio Free Europe will cease its transmissions, starting August 1st, after 60 years of broadcasting programs to the Romanian public.

Although it stops the broadcasting in Romania, the radio station will continue to broadcast in Moldavia and Transnistria.

According to Jeff Gedmin, stopping Radio Free Europe’s broadcasting in Romania is “a needed step”, while the competition on Romanian media market increased after the country joined EU.

The Radio Free Europe’s Romanian service started broadcasting, experimentally, on July 14th 1950 and become full operational on May 1st 1951.

During the communist regime, Radio Free Europe’s programs were “a pain in the ass” for the regime. According to a report published by Romanian Govern in 2006, the Romanian communist regime was responsible for the deaths of three Radio Free Europe’s directors.