17. 09. 2014
INITIATIVE FOR PRIVATISATION OF TANJUG AND 10 OTHER MEDIA
17.9.2014 (Beta, EurActiv) - State news agency Tanjug and ten local media outlets have submitted initiative for privatization of their enterprises to the Privatisation Agency. The Agency will decide on the method of privatisation within 90 days. Deadline for privatisation of media owned by the state, autonomous province, and local self-autonomies is July 1, 2015. There is 81 state-owned media outlet. Withdrawal of the state from media ownership and transparency of financing are among the priorities in the report on screening for Chapter 23 in accession negotiations with EU on judiciary and human rights.
According to the information of the Agency received by Beta news agency on September 17, besides Tanjug, the initative for privatisation was submitted by public enterprises that publish local media - Informativni centar Kosjerić (Information Center Kosjerić), Radio-televizija opštine Kovačica (Radio-television of the Kovačica municipality), Radio Beočin, Ivanjički radio, Informativni pres centar opštine Vladičin Han (Information Press Center of the Vladičin Han municipality).
The following have also entered privatisation process: Informativno javno preduzeće Preševo (Informative public enterprise Preševo), Radio Ćićevac, Informativni centar Odžaci (Information center Odžaci), Javno preduzeće štampa, radio i film Bor (Public enterprise print, radio and film Bor) and Kulturno informativni centar Mladost (Culture and informative center Mladost from Futog).
According to the new Law on Public Information, which came into force on August 13, media founded by the state, autonomous province or local-self autonomy should have submitted the initiative for privatisation by September 13.
The Privatisation Agency will decide on the method of privatisation within 90 days starting with the day the initiative was submitted.
Deadline for privatisation of media owned by the state, autonomous province, and local self-autonomies is July 1, 2015. As of that date, financing media from public budget will be banned. Instead, a principle of project financing will be introduced pertaining to media content of public interest.
If the media are not privatised by July 1, 2915, their capital will be transferred to their employees, without remuneration, the Law envisages.
If the employees, however, do not accept free shares of their media, the media will cease to exist and will be deleted from the Media Registry.
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