07. 02. 2013

ON MEDIA LAWS IN APRIL

Belgrade, February 7, 2013 (Politika) - Drafting of the new law on public information and media has not yet been completed, as it will undergo several more steps before the ministry approves it and forwards it to the Parliament for discussion, said Gordana Predic, state secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Media.

"A working version of the draft law has appeared in the media, and I need to say that this version has not yet been signed by the working group. As the text of the law is still worked on, it will undergo few more changes when all suggestions and remarks are considered", Predic told the daily Politika.

According to her, the legislation will foresee the withdrawal of the state from ownership in media, transparent ownership structure, regulated illegal media concentration and clear designation of the public interest in the area of public information. The law will also introduce the system of financing media through the project co-financing from the budget, as the main form of stimulating development of public interest in the field of public information.

The meeting of the working group with the representatives of the media community is scheduled for tomorrow, when the media will present their remarks on the text, namely the draft version of the law. Following that, the commission of the working group will determine the final version of the text of the draft law, ratify it and forward it to the minister for approval. Once the text is signed by the minister, it becomes the official Draft Law on Public Information and Media.

From the moment the text was approved and posted on the ministry's website, the public discussion will be opened, to last at least 30 days. After that, the draft will be reviewed by the government and tabled before the parliament members, most likely in April.

By that time, the ministry will continue to work on the draft law on electronic media and public services.