26. 05. 2014

DEADLINE FOR WITHDRAWAL OF STATE FROM MEDIA OWNERSHIP STILL VALID

26. 05. 2014 (Beta, Dnevnik) - The assistant minister of culture and information responsible for media Saša Mirković believes it would be logical that the new media legislation enable all media in due course "to have the same starting position on the market". He said that the end of the year is, for now, still a valid deadline for the withdrawal of the state from media ownership.

- As minister Ivan Tasovac recently said, we expect that a set of media laws that would define the new regulation will enter parliamentary procedure during July, said Mirković. It is difficult to set a date for the adoption of laws, but Mirković expects it to take place late this year, "more precisely, in the months ahead." - We will try to expedite the process because it is in everyone's interest that these laws be adopted as soon as possible - said Mirković.

He said that draft laws on public information and broadcast media were sent to Brussels for an opinion by the European Commission, and that the dialogue with the European Union on the two laws is expected to be completed in June. As far as the law on public service broadcasters, Mirković said that it is being prepared and that the draft law will soon be forwarded to Brussels.

- We are in constant dialogue with the European Commission and we use every opportunity, both when I am in Brussels and when guests from the European Commission are in Belgrade, to talk about this - specified Mirković.

According to him, the draft laws on public information and electronic media are discussed in Brussels to harmonize them with solutions valid in the EU.

- After the new government was formed, there is an obligation again to send draft laws to interested ministries, and once this process is completed we hope that these laws will go before the Government committees and into parliamentary procedure - said Mirković.

Whether the laws on information and broadcast media "will wait for the Law on Public Service Broadcasters, at this point is too early to say."

- We expect that the Law on Public Service Broadcasters will be forwarded to Brussels soon and, depending on how quickly we receive comments, we will assess what is the best thing to do - said Mirković.

Asked if the deadline will be changed for the withdrawal of the state from media ownership, given that it was originally planned to be the end of this year, Mirković said that it is still a valid deadline and that it is listed in the Draft Law on Public Information, available on the website of the Ministry of Culture and Information.