Reconsideration of Candidates for the REM Council: Why is it Important for This Body to Exist?

The decision to withdraw from the process was made after none of the 30 objections submitted were considered, and warnings about severe violations of the law were ignored.

As a reminder, the election of a new composition of the REM Council was initiated after two weeks of blockades in which students and citizens demanded its formation in accordance with the law.

For Judita Popović, who was a member of the REM Council from 2019 until June 2023 when she resigned, stating that “it had become pointless to remain in a body that cannot navigate space and time and ignores massive social turbulence and public dissatisfaction," it is clear that nothing has changed.

"This situation is merely the result of the last 13 years of this regime's rule. Because it is evident that efforts have been made all these years to undermine a structure of society that is based on some key human rights, including the right to freedom of speech, as the legal definition of the regulator emphasizes its role in protecting and promoting freedom of speech," Popović stated for Insajder.

Media consultant Saša Mirković assessed for Insajder that what has happened is "already seen” at the end of January when seven candidates withdrew from the previous process after a public hearing.

“It seems that the authorities thought it was enough to announce a public call and continue everything as before - therefore, non-transparency is the term that encompasses: gross violations of legal procedures, misinterpretation of basic rules, disregard and non-consideration of any of the 30 objections submitted by legitimate proposers, and on top of that, acceptance of all illegal proposers and candidates,” Mirković noted for Insajder.

He added that such logic distorts the meaning of reform processes and European integrations.

“Therefore, Brussels is now on the move - I believe that Antonio Košta, Kaja Kallas, and Marta Kos, with whom we recently spoke in Belgrade regarding the procedure for electing the REM Council, know very well that the path taken by the Parliamentary Committee for Culture and Information leads to a dead end,” Mirković stated for Insajder.

Why is REM important?

According to regulations, among other things, REM is responsible for monitoring whether electronic media report truthfully, completely, and in the public interest, and during election campaigns, it must ensure equal representation of political actors in the media.

They are also the ones who appoint the boards of public services – Radio-Television of Serbia and Radio-Television of Vojvodina.

REM has the obligation to protect pluralism and prevent the abuse of media space.

Former REM Council member Judita Popović explained to Insajder that it is important for REM to exist so that citizens are informed in a timely, truthful, and objective manner.

"That information is now neither free, nor objective, nor truthful, and even less timely. Based on that, you can manipulate public opinion. And that is actually the basic intention and the main goal of those who want to prevent any regulation in the media space," Popović assessed.

Mirković also believes that the REM Council is a key body in implementing the Law on Electronic Media.

"From granting licenses for access to digital multiplexes for regional and national coverage, through sanctions for non-compliance with the law to the election of the Boards of RTS and RTV that choose the Program Councils of the two public media services and general directors and editorial teams in Belgrade and Novi Sad. All of this represents a system of interconnected courts in which everything begins and ends in the REM Council,” Mirković added for Insajder.

According to him, this is why the election of members of the REM Council is so important and why it is not at all trivial who will constitute the two-thirds majority – six out of nine members in the future REM Council, as exactly that many votes are needed for all key decisions made by this body.

How are members of the REM Council elected?

As of November 4 of last year, Serbia has not had a Council for the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media. That was when the mandate of all nine members expired.

According to the Law on Electronic Media, Council members are proposed by authorized proposers: the Protector of Citizens, the Commissioner for Equality, the Commissioner for the Protection of Information of Public Importance and Personal Data, accredited universities, associations of electronic media publishers, journalists' associations, as well as associations of filmmakers, stage and dramatic artists, and composers. There are also associations aimed at achieving freedom of expression, associations focused on child protection, national councils of national minorities, churches, and religious communities.

Each of them proposes two candidates to the Parliamentary Committee for Information. After that, a period of seven days begins during which the Committee publishes the list of candidates, and within two weeks after the publication of the list, public discussions with the candidates are organized.

After that, the National Assembly elects nine members of the REM Council by a majority vote of the total number of Members of Parliament. Three members are elected for two years, three for four years, and another three for six years.

Source: Insajder