Media Scene

Home / Media Scene / In Focus

14. 10. 2008

LETTER OF SUPPORT BY SEENAPB TO NUNS' AND ANEM'S DEMAND TO REMOVE PROVISIONS OF THE STATUTE ALLOWING THE CITY OF BELGRADE TO ESTABLISH MEDIA OUTLETS

SOUTH-EAST EUROPEAN NETWORK OF ASSOCIATIONS OF PRIVATE BROADCASTERS

To the Association of Independent Electronic Media

Sarajevo, October 14, 2008

Subject: Letter of support to the Association of Independent Electronic Media and the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia and their demand to remove provisions of the statute which specify that the City of Belgrade can establish media outlets

Dear Sirs/Madams,

In this way, on behalf of the South-East European Network of Associations of Private Broadcasters, one of whose members is ANEM, we wish to offer you our support in your efforts to remove the provision from the Article 26, paragraph 1, point 5 of the Draft Statute of the City of Belgrade, which authorizes the city to establish television and radio stations, newspapers and other mass media outlets.

This provision would violate one of the fundamental professional principles, and in this context, offering you our full support, we consider that you should persist in your fight for protection of the right to freedom of expression.

At the time when the European Commission from Brussels appeals to us to harmonize audiovisual media regulations with those adopted in the European Union, we have gone backwards. We want to believe that the Assembly of the City of Belgrade will accept the criticism by NUNS and ANEM, and adopt a solution which is in accordance with the law.

Respectfully yours,
Adnan Osmanagic
President of SEENAPB

------------------------------