14. 08. 2013

EU Wishes free Television Frequencies for Digitalization

Belgrade, August 14, 2013 (Agencies) - The EU Delegation in Serbia has appealed to the Ministry of Telecommunication to allocate available TV frequencies for digitalization purposes, Tanjug reports.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade, Rasim Ljajic, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Adriano Martins, calls for available frequencies to be used for expanding the initial network for the purpose of digital signal testing.

Martins said the lack of free space across the media spectrum has been one of the main concerns since the launching of the joint EU-Serbia digitalization project and that, since the tender for allocation of TV Avala frequencies flopped, these frequencies can be
used to resume digitalization. 

The Broadcasting Agency (RRA) has decided on Friday not to allocated free frequencies for nation-wide TV broadcasting, claiming neither of the two candidates met the required condition.
Novi Sad based TV Nova run by former TV Prva Chief Editor and cable operator Kopernikus, close to the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) have applied for the frequencies. 

In his letter, Martins also stated that the completion of the digitalization process is Serbia's international obligation, and one of the conditions for the EU accession.

He urged to proceed, following allocation of free frequencies for digitalization, to installation of the remaining equipment procured as part of assistance to Serbia from EU pre-accession funds worth 10.5 million euros „in order to fully honour the obligations which Serbia took over under the contract with the EU".