01. 10. 2011

Deger: We will carefully monitor the implementation of the Strategy

Belgrade, October 1, 2011. (Blic) - The Chief of EU Delegation to Serbia, Vincent Deger, said that the EU would carefully monitor the implementation of the recently adopted Media Strategy, because the issue of media freedoms is one of the key issues of each democracy.

"There is no doubt that we will monitor how the Media Strategy would be implemented, what would be guaranties for that and assurances that freedom of editorial concept of each media outlet would be respected", said Deger to the Beta News Agency.

Deger said that it was clear that in Serbia, where there is more than one hundred TV and more than 200 radio stations and around 500 newspapers, certain changes has to be done as well as some adjustments in the market.

"There are numerous questions. First, there is a question of the state ownership. When we talk on the media independency, this question is a cause for concern", said Deger and added that it was normal that public service broadcasters existed but that freedom of the media was necessary and that the best way for ensuring was their independence.

As the second important question in Media Strategy, Deger mentioned the financing of the media. He emphasized that "the state could continue to finance the media, but that this should be done in a transparent way".

"If the media are financed directly from the municipal, regional and state government, there could be certain doubts regarding media freedoms and the capacity of editorial policy", Deger said and added that he was satisfied that Serbian government took this issue seriously.

As the third important element of the Media Strategy, Deger emphasized the planning of establishment of six regional broadcasters, which he assessed as a good way of approaching of the media to citizens.

"The question that could be raised here is to what extend such solution is financially sustainable. We already know how difficult it is to raise fund from the subscription fee", Dezer said and reminded that less than 40 % now is raised from the fee for RTS and RTV.  

The Chief of EU Delegation added that there was also the question of the presence of minorities in the media, namely if minorities should have their own media outlets, how they should be finances, to what extent they would be independent and what their editorial policy's capacity would be.

Deger said that Serbia, on its way to the EU, would open the negotiations on its membership and reminded that one chapter in these negotiations was related to the media.

Deger paid tribute on the Strategy's preparation to the Serbian and highlighted that it was very important that representatives of a great number of media organizations and associations had participated in numerous debates organized during its preparation.