21. 12. 2011

Media Coalition: Government defies principles

Belgrade, December 21, 2011 (Danas) - Media and journalists' associations NUNS, UNS, NDNV, ANEM and Local Press stated their protest yesterday over the way in which the Serbian Government intended to implement a decision on allocation of 368 million dinars.

As the associations stated, "these funds will not be allocated through project financing, in line with the public interest, but directly to the media - budget users, primarily to the Public Company Tanjug news agency".

"With such decision, the Serbian Government has violated fundamental principles stipulated in the recently adopted Media Strategy, as well as the relevant regulations on state aid and its control, thus infringing the principle of equality on the media market.

Given that Tanjug is financed by taxpayers' money and, at the same time, is operating on the market, this decision of the Serbian Government continues to promote the principle of unfair competition, additionally jeopardizing the operations of the other two news agencies", says in the joint statement of the associations.