12. 08. 2006

OSCE ATTACKS BROADCASTING LAW AGAIN

BELGRADE, August 12, 2006 (FoNet) - Hans Ola Urstad stated that some of the amendments of the Broadcasting Law violate free media rights. The Chief of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Belgrade called on the Serbian Government to abolish the amendments because free press rights are guaranteed by the Serbian Constitution and the European Human Rights Charter. The amendments are based on the framework for activities of the Broadcast Agency and the way in which its decisions are implemented, according to the OSCE office. Urstad gave the Serbian Government a legal analysis done by the OSCE which advises that the amendments be corrected and agreed upon along with other proposals that will be sent to the Culture Ministry. The analysis was forwarded to the Serbian Parliamentary Speaker, the President of the Parliamentary Media Council, the Presidential Office, the Prime Minister, the Culture Ministry and the Broadcast Agency, according to the statement. “These amendments need to be repealed because they infringe on free media in Serbia. Before the new amendments are passed through the parliamentary procedures, they need to be analysed in detail, and all interest parties should have the possibility of giving their comments.” Urstad said. He said that the OSCE’s analysis explains why the amendments do not have to rushed to be passed and why they are unacceptable.