NUNS: Public competitions must not be used to finance privileged media.
The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) expresses serious concern regarding the decision of the City of Novi Pazar to allocate the majority of funds this year in the competition for co-financing public interest in the field of public information to Radio Television Novi Pazar, thereby continuing the years-long practice of selective and unjustified distribution of funds to a single media outlet.
Furthermore, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) is concerned about the unusual decision of the City of Kragujevac to distribute 8.8 million dinars from the planned 12.6 million dinars, with a significant portion of the funds allocated to media outlets that are not based in the city.
Among the publishers from Kragujevac, the funds were mainly awarded to those who are unknown to the public, while projects from the most influential media were not approved, indicating possible discrimination.
In the competition held in Novi Pazar, the total amount designated for co-financing media projects was 41 million dinars, with Radio Television Novi Pazar receiving as much as 30.8 million dinars.
Particularly concerning is the fact that other media that participated in this competition received amounts that were multiple times smaller.
We remind that this is a private media outlet that is primarily financed from public funds, raising serious questions about the misuse of public money and the violation of equality among media.
According to the financial report submitted to the Business Registers Agency (APR), Radio Television Novi Pazar generated 35 million dinars from the competition last year, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the total revenue of the publisher. This raises doubts that the regular activities of the media are financed from these funds, which contradicts the principles of competitive co-financing.
If public funds are used to systematically favor one media outlet, it constitutes discrimination, a direct threat to media freedom and the democratic order.
Co-financing of projects of public significance must be based on clearly defined criteria, in accordance with the law, and must contribute to the pluralism of the media landscape rather than its erosion.
NUNS calls on the authorities in Novi Pazar and Kragujevac to cease such practices and ensure that competitions are conducted according to the principles of transparency, accountability, and fair distribution of funds. Additionally, we urge the authorities in Kragujevac to promptly revoke the final decision and allocate funds in a fair and objective manner.
Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS)
