10. 01. 2014

DIGITALIZATION BEFORE THE DEADLINE

Belgrade, January 10, 2014 (Pregled) - Ljajic: Completion of the introduction of digital TV signals possible before the end of 2014.

Digitization of TV signals in Serbia could be completed by the end of this year, although the official deadline is 17 June 2015, said the Minister of Foreign and Domestic Trade and Telecommunications of Serbia Rasim Ljajic.

The Minister told the Beta news agency that he expects that in the first half of this year two laws which are the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture will be passed, and that they are already undergoing public debate, which will provide a legal basis for accelerating digitization.

Ljajic said that talks were held with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about a favorable loan so that the process of digitizing the signal in Serbia could be completed.

"The good news is, that instead of planned 70 million for the digitization process now it was brought down to 35 million. We are attempting to even further reduce this amount and believe that with even less funds we can finish the process," he said.

According to him, the benefits for citizens of digitizing the TV signals is better picture and sound quality, and obtaining services to be provided by operators, while the state through the "digital dividend" will be able to attain substantial financial resources. Ljajic said that the process of digitizing the signal in Serbia was seriously endangered  because there was no free frequencies, but the process is "unblocked" by the channel of TV Avala used for the completion of this task.

"It is certain that the process would have gone with more difficulties  and  the deadlines were in question, if it was not for the release (of that TV frequency). Now we have increased the initial network and with the digital signal through that network (test signal) covers the area with 75 percent of the population of Serbia," he said.