09. 01. 2012

JOURNALISTS' UNION URGES GOVERNMENT TO REACT

Belgrade, January 9, 2012 (Politika) - In an open letter addressed to Serbian President Boris Tadic and Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, the Serbian Journalists Union (SINOS) stated three demands, since they were unable, as they had stated in the letter, to get answers from the competent ministries.

"We urge the government to ensure the adherence to the law of the privileged owners of media and their immediate settling of debts towards employees", it was stated in the letter.

SINOS also requested that "in line with the European regulations and amendments to the laws, the payment of salaries and all related taxes be garanteed every month". "In addition, all those who fail to adhere to the said regulations and legislation, shall be legally santioned", the union also stated in the letter.

The third request SINOS had made was related to the "urgent adoption of the law on transparency of ownership in media".

The letter also stated that "owners of TV Avala, managed by Bojana Lekic, belonged to the group of the wealthiest people in Serbia - Danko Djunic and Zeljko Mitrovic", who "could not care less for the necessity to find solutions to the problem they have created".

This union also says that the public has not yet been informed about the developments in the change of ownership structure in Politika, Vecernje Novosti and Dnevnik dailies, in which VAC has its share, and reminds that, many times in the past period, the European Journalists' Federation has attempted to draw attention of the Serbian government to this problem.