06. 06. 2005

POLITICISED INVESTIGATION OF FORMER DIRECTOR OF RTV KRAGUJEVAC

ANEM wishes to remind the public of certain facts that marked the period in which the Serbian electronic media fought repression by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic and campaigned for democratic change, as well as the role it had in this period. The Association has good reason to be proud of its record in this struggle. As part of its activities during this difficult period, ANEM brought the independent and professional media in Serbia together and helped its members to make contact with donors who were able and willing to help. However at no point were funds actually channeled through ANEM and it is well known that donors monitored the spending of these funds closely. Had there been any case of such funds being misused, ANEM would have been the first to receive a complaint. Such a complaint has never been received by this association from any donor concerning Radio Television Kragujevac or any ANEM member. During Predrag Petaković’s tenure, first as deputy director then as director, Radio Television Kragujevac was transformed into a respected and popular station which was frequently cited as an example of a professional and high-quality broadcaster with serious prospects for successful privatization and further development. The ANEM Assembly has twice shown its confidence in Mr. Petaković, electing him first as a member and then as a member and vice-chairman of the Managing Board. ANEM is particularly concerned by the potential for politicization of this case. We have repeatedly warned of the delay in privatization of local public broadcasters which are operated by municipal and city assemblies, as is Radio Television Kragujevac. Such delays lead to dismissals motivated solely by political reasons, of entire managements in the wake of local elections and to the exploitation and abuse of media for political purposes. Predrag Petaković was dismissed for political reasons after the last local elections and the change of local government in Kragujevac. That dismissal has now been followed by an investigation of the former director for alleged misappropriation of donor funds while he was deputy director. We note that the former director of Radio Television Kragujevac under whom Petaković served as deputy is involved in the case only as a witness. The fact that the party to which this witness belongs is now back in power in Kragujevac and that the party to which Mr. Petaković belongs is now opposition in the city makes us concerned that this case may have a political background. While not wanting in any way to prejudice the outcome of these proceedings, ANEM notes that the investigation of Petaković will also be a real test of the independence of the Serbian judiciary. We would like to believe that the judiciary is up to this test. Slobodan Stojšić, Chairman of the ANEM Managing Board