Analysis: The authorities in Vranje paid millions to local regime media in the election year.

All the figures you will see below represent financial resources allocated from the budget of the City of Vranje, that is, from the pockets of the citizens of this city, to the media that have been close to the ruling SNS in the past period.

These are official data.

A total of 30 million dinars has been approved through so-called project co-financing for the media, and a significant portion of that money has already been disbursed, specifically to media outlets serving the now former regime (from the end of April to mid-October) - a total of 16.64 million dinars.

The sums that remain unpaid are related to two "most demanding" projects, RTV doo and Vranjska plus doo, totaling an unpaid amount of 12.5 million dinars (4.98 million dinars to RTV doo and 7.53 million dinars to Vranjska plus doo).

The financially "heaviest" project of the media house "Vranjska plus doo – Vranjska plus," titled "The Cobblestone of the Future," was approved by the City Council decision on April 23 of this year for 11.7 million dinars or approximately 99,700 euros.

You read that correctly, just for one project.

So far, a total of 4.17 million dinars has been transferred from the budget to the account of this media house for this project, from May 21 to October 29. Nine installments have been paid, the first of 200,000 dinars and eight more of 300,000 each, with the last payment made after the parliamentary elections, specifically on October 29, in the amount of 300,000 dinars.

The project, which also amounts to nearly 100,000 euros - Radio Television Vranje doo Vranje – TV Vranje - titled "Life Remembers 150 for 150," for which the City Council approved 11.38 million dinars (or about 97,000 euros), has so far received 6.4 million dinars, which is more than half, representing a significantly better collection rate than Vranjska plus doo.

RTV doo, a media outlet owned by Zoran Zuje Veličković, also received budget funds for the project "Life Remembers 150 for 150," until October 16, specifically nine days before the parliamentary elections.

Only in September and October, there were eight transfers from the budget to Zuje's RTV doo Vranje of 300,000 dinars each, solely based on this project.

In total, payments started on June 4 and there were a total of 20.

The installments were mostly of 300,000 dinars, although there were also a couple of payments of 400,000 or 450,000 dinars. If we consider that this covers a period of practically four and a half months, that amounts to more than five payments on a monthly basis.

But that is not all when it comes to Zuje's media.

His RTV doo Vranje (which comprises four media outlets) has already collected the entire amount for the project on the Internet portal Radio Television Vranje titled "Our Bora – 150 Years of Stories," from the approved 800,000 dinars (or about 6,800 euros) in three installments (one of 200,000 and two of 300,000 each).

The first installment was transferred just a few days after the City Council's decision was published on April 30 (when did you sign the contract?), and then two installments of 300,000 were made on May 4 and May 14 of this year.

He also received money based on the approval of funds for the project Radio Television Vranje doo Vranje for Radio Vranje titled "Startup Confessions," for which a total of one million (1,000,000 dinars or about 8,500 euros) was approved.

And that entire amount was quickly paid out in three installments - 350,000 was transferred from the budget on May 1, 250,000 on May 21, and then 400,000 dinars on May 29.

He has also already received the full amount for the Internet portal "When Trouble Strikes," which operates within RTV doo Vranje, for the realization of the project "Monuments of Vranje as Guardians of Historical Memory and Identity of the City."

Zuje's portal was approved 500,000 dinars or more than 4,250 euros, and he collected the entire amount in one installment of that amount on April 30, just a few days after the City Council published the decision on project co-financing this year (again, when did you manage to sign the contract?).

His Radio Television Bujanovac - Televizija Bujanovac, where he holds an 85 percent stake, was also granted funds from the budget of Vranje for the implementation of the project "Link" amounting to 400,000 dinars or about 3,400 euros.

He collected this amount swiftly in May and June - first 250,000 dinars on May 14 and then another 150,000 dinars on June 12.

Regarding Vranjska plus doo, this media house, or its web portal www.vranjskaplustv.rs, was approved, in addition to the project of nearly 100,000 euros, another 1,130,000 dinars or more than 9,600 euros for the project "National Costumes – A Reflection of Life in Old Vranje."

They have already received the entire amount in four installments, from September 11 to October 16 of this year, during the campaign for the parliamentary elections.

First, they received 300,000 dinars on September 11, then another 300,000 on September 18, followed by the same amount on October 6, and the last installment of 230,000 was paid on October 16.

Vranjska plus doo does not just have one portal; they were also granted funds for another portal titled "It Matters."

For the project titled "Bora – A Name that is Remembered and Celebrated," a budget of one million (1,000,000 dinars or about 8,500 euros) was allocated for implementation.

The entire amount was collected in four installments between July 24 and September 4. First, in July, 300,000 dinars was paid, then another 300,000 on August 6, followed by 100,000 on August 27, and the last installment of 300,000 on September 4.

It remains to be seen by those who do not watch or follow the programs and news of these media whether the City Administration in Vranje will pay the full amounts to these media.

It can be seen from the analytical cards that one payment to Vranjska plus doo of 300,000 dinars has already been made on October 29, four days after the elections.

It should be emphasized that among the media - portals receiving funds from the budget, there are those that have previously been penalized by the Press Council for violating the Code of Journalists of Serbia and media regulations.

Additionally, three days ago, a call was published by media workers in Serbia to urgently cease funding for media that have broken the law and to prevent "the further spread of falsehoods and hate speech."

"We, media professionals, appeal for an immediate halt to the further misuse of public and state funds, public resources, and public media space for the dissemination of falsehoods, poisoning, and hate speech, and to end the practice of polluting public space through violations of the Law on Information, the Ethical Code, and even the Constitution of Serbia," stated the media professionals.

And other media close to the authorities have collected everything

The Association Novi Vidik and the portal Inpress, led by cameraman and technical chief of Vranjska plus doo Slobodan Bane Nedeljković, collected the full amount for the project "Safe Ristovac – A Salvation for the Serbian Host." They were approved 200,000 dinars and collected the entire amount on June 14. The portal "Koštana" for the project "Living Witnesses - Veterans of Our Region" also collected the full amount of 500,000 dinars in four installments between July 16 and August 6 (three times 100,000 and the last installment of 200,000 dinars). The company for production, trade, and services M OD Vranje – Televizija Fokus, Vranje, owned by Dragan Mladenović Bucko (a company under long-term financial blockade according to the National Bank data), collected the full amount of 340,000 dinars for the project "Bora – The Spirit of Old Vranje" in three installments, rapidly - 140,000 dinars on May 18, and then 100,000 each on May 21 and 29. The citizens' association "Pčinjski 017" – www.pcinjski017portal.rs from Bujanovac, owned by Nenad Tasić, a Progressive Party official from Bujanovac, for the project "Life Without Shackles" was approved 200,000 dinars and collected the full amount on July 9 this year. All the media are close to the authorities.

Author: D. Dimić
Source: VranjeNews