21. 04. 2010

ANEM, NUNS AND NDNV CONDEMN THE PRESSURE ON TV JEDINSTVO FROM NOVI PAZAR

Belgrade, April 21, 2010 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) protest against the pressure on TV Jedinstvo from Novi Pazar, a member of ANEM. The pressure followed after the media reported in the beginning of April that the Commercial Court in Kraljevo ordered the city administration of Novi Pazar to pay almost four million dinars to TV Jedinstvo. The court in Kraljevo has made the verdict because of violation of the contract concluded with the TV Jedinstvo in accordance to which the media company was due to receive 5,000 euros (i.e. the equivalent amount in dinars) each month for the purpose of reporting on the activities of the mayor and the city administration, institutions and companies. The media reported that the legal office of the city of Novi Pazar appealed the verdict while the mayor, Meho Mahmutovic, has decided to terminate the contract signed in December 2008.

ANEM, NUNS and NDNV point out that the Law on Local Self-Government stipulates that the units of local self-government are legally obliged to look after the public information scene that is significant at the local level and to provide adequate environment for such flow of information. The fact that the city of Novi Pazar is at the same time the founder of the Public Information Company - with a regional license issued by the RBA - that broadcasts program under the name of "Regionalna TV Novi Pazar", does not absolve the city administration of their legal responsibility to look after the public information segment at the local level apart from the media company they own, and to provide adequate conditions for such information delivered via commercial media outlets. All these requirements are especially important in the case of TV Jedinstvo, a member of ANEM, which is objectively the leading electronic media outlet in Novi Pazar as measured by its ratings and the audience share in this area.

ANEM, NUNS and NDNV emphasize that of special concern is the fact that the reason behind the city administration's decision to stop paying their obligations toward the TV Jedinstvo, and to terminate the contract in accordance to which the station was receiving financial amounts for the purpose of dissemination of information of local significance, seems to have a political background, i.e. it seems that the reason lies in the attempt to influence the station's editorial policy, the manner of its reporting and the selection of interviewees and topics. ANEM, NUNS and NDNV point out that according to the Public Information Law, the information in Serbia is free and in public interest and no one - including the local government in Novi Pazar - is allowed to limit this freedom in any way. Obligations of local self-governments in accordance with this Law have to be performed in a manner that benefits the public and must not be abused for political purposes. The fact that the contract with TV Jedinstvo from Novi Pazar was signed in the end of 2008 by the then-mayor, Mirsad Djerlek, who was relieved of his duty in September 2009, and the fact that the member of ANEM asked for legal protection because of violation of the contract by the local government, cannot serve as an excuse to terminate the contract as long as TV Jedinstvo performs its professional obligations within the contract.

ANEM, NUNS and NDNV express their full solidarity with the journalists and editors of ANEM's member, TV Jedinstvo, and insist that co-financing of public information from governmental budgets has to be regulated in a manner that would prevent abuse and conditioning of payments in exchange for favorable reporting on the government and violation of journalistic standards and the principles of independent reporting.

President of ANEM, Sasa Mirkovic