26. 04. 2013

RTS ON BUDGET FOR TWO YEARS

Belgrade, April 26, 2013 (Danas) - Soon to be adopted new Law on Electronic Media will provide for the RTS' direct financing from the state budget in the period of two years, instead of three as it was previously planned, the daily Danas reports.

After that period, more permanent solution for finansing of the public service broadcaster will be found.

Assistant Culture and Media Minister Dragan Kolarevic says that the Draft Law on Electronic Media will be put to public debate on May 8. The law will be put before the Parliament for adoption by the end of that month, Kolarevic said.

According to Kolarevic, the period of three years has been reduced to two out of financial reasons and the support will be regarded as permanent state aid. Members of the working group working on this law had opposed the discontinuation of charging the TV subscription fee and announced to distance them from the decision of the Government to finance RTS directly from the state budget.

The first Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has recently passed a decision to discontinue the charging of RTS subscription and introduction of its financing from the budget for the period of three years, until a new permanent solution was found. Vucic is yet to decide with the Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic on the manner and annual amount of funds will be allocated for RTS from the budget.