News

More than a month after a heated debate in the parliamentary committee regarding the candidates and proposers for the REM Council, Ana Brnabić stated that the process will resume where it left off, that the list is finalized in seven out of nine categories, and that the continuation is expected at the end of August, when the OSCE provides an analysis of the controversial candidacies.

For the past three months, Niš TV, the newest television station in the Serbian media landscape, has been broadcasting on Telekom's cable platforms, but "illegally," meaning without the permission of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media. Telekom stated that they have temporarily "accommodated" the aforementioned channel, which has been running dirty campaigns against regime critics in a tabloid manner and violating all possible journalistic standards since its inception. This television station is predominantly owned by Alo Media System, which publishes the pro-regime tabloid Alo. The launch of Niš TV comes after local TV Belami, previously favorable to the SNS authorities, provided more media space for the opposition and protests, after which Telekom abruptly removed it from its cable offering, leaving it without funding from the local budget. Vidosav Radomirović, the owner of Belami, believes that he has angered the authorities and that they want to destroy him. However, he does not agree that Belami was ever a regime media outlet and refers to Niš TV as the "Ćaci television."

The process of selecting the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media has been ongoing since November of last year. On July 9, the Association of Journalists of Serbia submitted comments to the parliamentary Committee for Culture and Information regarding the proposed members of the Council, stating that six candidates do not meet the requirements. The parliamentary committee responded that the list has already been established and that there is no point in reconsideration. Saša Mirković from the Association of Independent Electronic Media stated that at the committee meeting, an agreement was reached on seven categories, but that there are irreconcilable differences concerning the remaining two.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) submitted comments to the Committee for Culture and Information regarding the Draft Report for the seven authorized proposers of members of the REM Council, stating that six of the proposed candidates do not meet the requirements for selection as members of the REM Council.

The Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) has submitted comments to the Committee for Culture and Information regarding the Draft Report for the seven authorized proposers of members of the REM Council, in which it stated that six of the proposed candidates do not meet the requirements for election as members of the REM Council.

The independence of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is a cause for serious concern, and the delays and deficiencies in the process of selecting a new REM Council undermine public trust in that process, the European Commission stated in its annual report on the rule of law in Serbia. The report, published today, indicates that Serbia has "continued constitutional reforms to strengthen the independence of the judiciary," but that political pressure on judges and prosecutors remains high. In the area of fighting corruption, the EC points to a lack of investigations, final judgments, and asset seizures in cases of high-level corruption. Regarding media laws, the Commission's report notes that Serbia adopted new media laws in June, continuing its alignment with the EU, but assesses that this was done in a non-transparent manner, without public debate.

While the police on the streets are arresting and beating students and citizens who are demanding elections, in the Assembly, the authorities are attempting to trade the election of the REM Council on a "one for you, one for me" principle, with an unprecedented outpouring of tolerance among the parliamentary benches, in order to maintain control over this body. Ultimately, the curtains of this performance have fallen.

The Committee of the Assembly of Serbia for Culture and Information has today approved the proposal for the list of candidates for members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), which was put forward by associations aimed at promoting freedom of expression. The candidates are Antonela Riha, Jasmina Ninković, and Rodoljub Šabić.

The Committee of the National Assembly of Serbia for Culture and Information agrees with the Opinion of the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications regarding the application of the provisions of the Law on Electronic Media in the process of proposing candidates for members of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM). This was decided today at the Committee meeting without the presence of opposition MPs.