16. 12. 2011

STRUGGLE FOR MEDIA SUPREMACY

Belgrade, December 16, 2011 - Director of the Anti-Corruption Agency Zorana Markovic said today that the Agency would act upon the complaint of MP Zoran Ostojic to the alleged intention of the "Kurir" daily to buy shares of the German company VAC in the dailies "Politika", "Vecernje novosti" and "Dnevnik".

"We received the letter two days ago that was then filed as a complaint and we will act upon it. If the complaint is related to issues within the competence of the Agency or to officials, property, conflict of interest or work of political parties, we will immediately take actions", Markovic told reporters.

LDP official Zoran Ostojic has accused the Democratic Party (DS) of a number of covert arrangements with intention to repurchase shares of VAC in the daily newspapers "Politika", "Vecernje novosti" and "Dnevnik", in order to establish full control over key print media. Ostojic said at the press conference in the Serbian Parliament that the newspaper "Kurir" appears only as a cover for the direct influence of powerful individuals in the government who intend to "fully take control over the media scene prior to the election campaign".

According to Ostojic, the framework contract with the VAC Company for taking their share in the daily papers was signed in Düsseldorf on November 10, whereas a multi-million job of taking ownership in "Politika", "Vecernje Novosti" and "Dnevnik" should be implemented by December 22. Ostojic said that a consortium of local companies in the control of the DS should have appeared as financier of the shares acquisition.