20. 03. 2013

1.2 M EUROS TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW

Belgrade, March 20, 2013 (Danas) - The ultimate round table within the public discussion on the Draft Law on Public Information and Media, which should be forwarded to the government for adoption, was held yesterday in Belgrade.

Representatives of the Culture and Media Ministry expressed readiness of the state to finally withdraw from ownership in media in Serbia, while representatives of the expert and international public noted that even more important was the adherence to the law.

Culture and Media Minister Bratislav Petkovic said that the process of law adoption, in cooperation with the European Commission, the OSCE Mission to Serbia and media and journalists' associations was running in a democratic manner.

Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Vincent Degert said that this body had participated in the preparation of the law and that 1.2 million Euros was secured for its implementation. According to him, the issue of privatization of the state media should be resolved soon.

"It is necessary to align the laws that are conflicting in this sense - the law on the capital city, Tanjug news agency, state administration...", Degert said.

Assistant Culture and Media Minister Dragan Kolarevic said that the Draft Law included the provisions of the law on publicity of ownership and illegal media concentration.

Representatives of media and journalists' associations, ANEM, NUNS, UNS, NDNV and Local Press, together with the Association of Media, said that they had not participated in making decision on what would be included in the final text of the law.

Speaking for the media community, ANEM President Sasa Mirkovic said that the Draft Law was not clear enough in the provisions pertaining to project financing. He also said that the principle of self-regulation was not sufficiently recognized by the law, nor had the position of journalists been resolved by the law.

The Ministry of Culture and Media will pass a new Rulebook on privatization of local media, to replace an existing one from 2006, said Aleksandar Avramovic, member of the working group for preparing media laws.