28. 01. 2011

ANEM INITIATIVE TO THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF SERBIA

The collision of regulation is often used as an excuse for not accomplishing the privatization process. Although the deadline for completion of this process was December 31, 2007, as set by the media laws, this process has been halted by bringing a set of non-media regulations. These are the Law on Local Self-Government, the Law on the Capital City and the Law on National Councils of National Minorities. In addition to that, the Law on Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities also contains provisions that are incompatible with the Constitution and the media laws.

ANEM believes that establishing the functional media market is very important for the development of the media system, for which it is necessary to create equal conditions for all its participants. That is not possible under existing circumstances of the parallel functioning of non-privatized and private media, with their unequal position at the expense of private media. It is why ANEM, in cooperation with its Legal Department, the Law office "Zivković&Samardzic", on January 28, 2011, submitted to the Constitutional Court the initiative to begin the proceedings to assess the constitutionality of the disputable provisions of abovementioned laws, for which it believes they are in contravention of the Constitution, generally accepted regulations of the international law and the ratified international treaties.

In the meantime, while the decision of the Constitutional Court is awaited, ANEM will endeavour to contribute in other ways to creating favorable regulatory framework and environment for media development, especially through its participation in the development of the Media Strategy.

The ANEM Initiative to the Constitutional Court is available here