Without significant changes to the media competition in Dimitrovgrad – television channels close to the SNS again receive the majority of the funds.
Based on the proposal of the Commission, the Municipal Council of the Municipality of Dimitrovgrad has allocated funds from the budget designated for media projects. As in previous years, the largest portion of the funds went to media outlets owned by the Kruševac businessman Radoica Milosavljević, who is closely associated with the ruling Serbian Progressive Party – two media outlets under his ownership received 11.1 million dinars out of a total of 13.8 million, which is approximately 80%.
For co-financing media content in the Bulgarian language, 11.8 million dinars have been allocated, and a company owned by a businessman from Kruševac based in Dimitrovgrad received over 10 million dinars.
“RTV Caribrod” received 7.5 million dinars for a television project, while 2.7 million dinars were allocated for radio.
Funds were also awarded to the Niš television station “Zona plus,” owned by Nikola Gašić, the son of the Minister of Defense Bratislav Gašić, which received 800,000 dinars. Half a million dinars was allocated to the Niš agency “Helloanimation,” owned by Manuela Radojković, and 300,000 dinars was distributed to the newly established production company “Hermes Production” owned by Marija Stanković from Dimitrovgrad.
Additionally, 2 million dinars were specifically allocated for information in the Serbian language, with nearly half of the funds going to “TV Pirot” (900,000 dinars), a media outlet also owned by Radoica Milosavljević.
“Hermes Production” from Dimitrovgrad received funds in this part of the competition as well – 600,000 dinars, while 500,000 dinars were allocated for the portal “Ćilim” from Pirot, which is owned by Slavko Stijaković, a former officer of the Yugoslav People's Army, now the owner of several media outlets in Serbia.
The commission that evaluated media projects and distributed funds consisted of Branimir Grulović, Miodrag Miljković, and Slavoljub Ristić.
Interestingly, Miljković and Grulović were also members of the commission in Pirot, along with Miodrag Popov. Another interesting fact is that most of the media and production companies that received funds in Dimitrovgrad also received their share in Pirot.
“TV Pirot” received 17.5 million dinars in that city, “Zona plus” 1 million dinars, “Hermes Production” 600,000 dinars, the same amount as “Helloanimation,” and the portal “Ćilim” received half a million dinars.
By the way, the portal “FAR” did not participate in the media competitions in Dimitrovgrad and Pirot this year.
Source: FAR
