SERBIA'S MEDIA SCENE IN FEBRUARY 2024
ANEM monitoring report for February 2024 on freedom of expression, old and new regulations and analysis of SLAPP lawsuits
Monitoring of the media scene for February provides an overview of key developments in the field of freedom of expression, the process of implementing existing regulations and news related to the fight against strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP).
When it comes to freedom of expression, Monitoring shortly reveiws the report published by the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia (NUNS): "Freedom of Expression and Media Pluralism 2023, Alternative Report on the Implementation of the Action Plan for Chapter 23". Special attention, in light of the latest decisions, is devoted to impunity for the murder of journalists Slavko Ćuruvija and Milan Pantić. The circumstances under which interferences in the performance of journalistic work occurred in the case of the media "Radio Goraždevac" and "RTV M Knjaževac" were recorded, as well as the outcome of the proceedings conducted regarding illegal construction, as a result of which the window of the OK Radio newsroom was bricked up.
Following the project co-financing, Monitoring also discussed a case in which a journalist was invited to provide the police with information he came across during the preparation of a series of articles dealing with the misuse of money intended for project co-financing. The subject of the Monitoring were tenders announced by the temporary body of the City of Novi Pazar and the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications, as well as the case in which the tender for co-financing projects in the field of public information was cancelled. The cities of Pančevo and Novi Sad were recorded as cities that, after the adoption of the new Law on Public Information and Media, significantly reduced the funds intended for project co-financing of the production of media content in the field of public information.
Monitoring also discussed the delay of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media in announcing a public tender for issuing licenses for the provision of free access television media services via terrestrial digital transmission for the distribution zone, and the problems caused by this delay were highlighted in this regard.
In the domain of newspapers in the fight against SLAPP lawsuits, the recently adopted EU Anti-SLAPP Directive was noted, which, although it will not be applied in Serbia, represents a positive step in the possible solution of that problem in our country as well.
Media monitoring was published with the financial support of the European Union and the OSCE Mission to Serbia. The Association of Independent Electronic Media is solely responsible for its content, and that content in no way expresses the official views of the European Union and the OSCE Mission to Serbia.
This Monitoring Report was prepared by expert monitoring team from the law office "Savović" in cooperation with ANEM, and the entire report can be found at this link.
