Four independent candidates have decided to participate in the work of the REM Council.

Four independent candidates for members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) reminded the public in a letter that they were elected to that body at a session of the National Assembly on November 12, 2025, but submitted their resignations on December 19, 2025. After the parliament adopted the Authentic Interpretation of Article 18, paragraph 4 of the Law on Electronic Media on July 10, they decided, as stated, to participate in the work of the REM Council.

"The exclusive responsibility lies with the authorities"

The four independent candidates assessed that the exclusive responsibility for the problem of the non-existence of the REM Council, and consequently the non-functioning of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media, lies with the authorities.

"Only in the last few weeks, after months of ignoring the problem, evidently under pressure from the European Union, have they intensified their activities to resolve it. Accordingly, the Committee for Culture and Information of the National Assembly suspended the procedure for electing a member of the REM Council from the category of national councils of national minorities on June 25 and invited us to assume our functions in REM," the letter recalls.

"It was concluded that our mandate has not even begun, and therefore could not have ended"

They welcomed, as they stated, "the abandonment of persistent, unlawful, and even criminal favoritism of one candidate, which was the immediate reason for our resignations," but also stated that they rejected the invitation to return to the Council, as they believed that the Committee's conclusion that their resignations do not produce legal effects "because the National Assembly did not acknowledge them" was contrary to Article 18, paragraph 4 of the Law on Electronic Media.

"Subsequently, the National Assembly initiated and adopted the Authentic Interpretation of that legal provision. According to the authentic interpretation, our resignations represent factual, political statements of non-acceptance of functions, which by themselves are insufficient to produce legal effects," state the four independent candidates.

The interpretation, as they indicate, starts from the premise that a mandate can only end by resignation if it has previously begun.

"Therefore, since we have never assumed our duties, have not participated in the work of the Council, have not exercised its powers, nor received the compensation due to Council members, it was concluded that our mandate has not even begun, and thus could not have ended by submitting our resignations," the letter explains.

"The authorities would have the opportunity to present our actions as contrary to the law"

The independent candidates for members of the REM Council therefore emphasize that, regardless of differing opinions on its content, the authentic interpretation by the National Assembly has legal force, binds everyone, and has retroactive effect. They indicate that this has created a new legal situation.

"If in such a situation we do not agree to assume our roles in the REM Council, the authorities would have the opportunity to present our actions as contrary to the law, while shifting their own responsibility for years of non-functioning of REM, the continuation of institutional blockage, and the consequences that such blockage has on the rule of law and Serbia's European path onto us and onto the organizations and citizens who have fought for a lawful REM," the independent candidates explain.

They reiterate their belief that the responsibility for the long-term non-functioning of REM must remain with those who caused that situation.

"Based on all of the above, we have decided to participate in the work of the REM Council," concludes the letter signed by Dubravka Valić Nedeljković, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Rodoljub Šabić.

Source: N1