News

Stevica Smederevac was unanimously elected as the president of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) at today's fourth constitutive session of that body.

At the third constitutive session of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), the president of this body was once again not elected.

A representative of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), Saša Mirković, stated today to FoNet that four independent candidates in the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) are "heroically" fighting and trying to contribute to the election of the president and the constitution of the Council of that body through a constructive approach, while on the other hand, he does not see goodwill.

Members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) reached an agreement today, following a two-hour discussion during the continuation of the constitutive session, on two candidates for the president of that body - Dubravka Valić Nedeljković and Miloš Garić. However, after two rounds of voting, as Valić Nedeljković stated to the media, a president was not elected.

The failure to elect the president of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) at the constitutive session is not surprising, assesses Saša Mirković from ANEM for N1. He states that in a deeply divided society and after nearly 20 months without the REM Council, it is difficult to expect a quick agreement, especially ahead of possible elections when the role of the regulator becomes particularly important.

The absence of functional REM, the allocation of state funds to media that violate the Code, issues surrounding editorial autonomy and the operation of public services, concentration in the media market, deteriorating journalist safety, and an increasing number of attacks and threats – this is part of the list of media problems highlighted by the European Commission in its latest annual report on the rule of law in Serbia for the year 2026. The report is also critical regarding the situation in the judiciary, the fight against corruption, and the institutional control of power.

The Ministry of Information and Telecommunications (MIT), in response to a request from Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS), stated that it believes there is a "legally sound interpretation" according to which the members of the Board of Directors (BOD) of public services continue to operate until the appointment and assumption of office by new members.

The council will have to make decisions on a number of important issues, including announcing public competitions for the appointment of new members to the boards of RTS and RTV, as well as resolving complaints against broadcasters that have been sitting unresolved for months.

The change of government in Hungary could also affect the balance of power in the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) Council in Serbia, writes the Hungarian newspaper Nepszava, stating that the election of the ninth member of this body could weaken the previous influence of the government-aligned bloc and open up space for more independent decision-making by the regulators.