Students in Blockade: The Committee for Culture and Information to Ensure a Transparent Selection of the REM Council
Students in protest today requested from the parliamentary Committee for Culture and Information to ensure transparency in the process of selecting members of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) and to "not repeat the mistakes" from the previous process.
As the students stated in a post on Instagram, the previous competition for the selection of members of the REM Council was annulled due to "serious procedural shortcomings and numerous irregularities."
"We believe it is the committee's responsibility to prevent the repetition of the same mistakes and to ensure strict adherence to the law in this important process," the post reads.
They added that the committee is obliged to publish the list and accompanying documentation of all candidates and proposers, to verify their legitimacy, and to remove those who do not meet the legally prescribed criteria.
"The committee's duty is not only technical; it is essential and relates to preserving the integrity and independence of REM, which must represent the foundation of a responsible media sphere, citizen information, and oversight of media institutions," the students stated.
The previous procedure for selecting members of the REM Council was suspended after seven out of a total of 18 candidates withdrew their candidacies, claiming that the process was rife with irregularities and illegalities.
A new competition was announced after the students blocked Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS) and demanded its announcement.
