11. 07. 2003

Media perceived as weapon

11 July, 2003 - Warning of a growing "discord" between the authorities and the media, as well as a rise in legal complaints by politicians against media, SEEMO urged the authorities "to demonstrate a greater degree of tolerance towards media reporting and to accept criticism by the media." The statement expressed deep concern that "there are still people in the government who perceive the media as easily manipulated and capable of being used as a weapon." According to the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia, there are 220 ongoing lawsuits against media and journalists in Serbia, and the number is rising daily. SEEMO noted in particular the flurry of complaints filed by Vladimir "Beba" Popovic, until recently the head of the Serbian government's Communications Bureau. The organisation called for libel and tort to be dealt with under civil law, rather than criminal, and for the financial sanctions to be redefined relative to the economic situation in the country. Recalling the state of emergency following the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, SEEMO said politicians had "abused the situation" and adopted new provisions to the Public Information Act without public discussion. The Serbian government, it said, should "review the viability" of provisions regulating the prohibition of publication and the establishment of a state news agency. The statement requested that the government "urgently" adopt legislation on freedom of information and implement the transformation of the state-owned media. It also called for the creation of the Serbian Telecommunications Agency to regulate the use of frequencies and prepare a program to outline the frequency range and strategy for the all-important frequency allocation. Radio frequencies and television channels should be distributed in such a way "as to balance the needs of local media, regionalisation and define the frequency requirements for national media." The government, SEEMO added, must ensure against the establishment of monopolies in the media sector.