30. 07. 2005

SEEMO: TO WITHDRAW DRAFT AMENDMENTS

VIENNA, July 30, 2005 – The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO is concerned about draft amendments to the Broadcast Act, which the Government of Serbia intends to put before Parliament. SEEMO is informed that the Serbian Government would like to amend the three-year old Broadcast Act and has sent the amendments to Parliament without consulting professional media organisations in Serbia, said in the statement of this media organisation. SEEMO also noted that one of the amendments would revoke the veto power of the Broadcast Council member nominated by the autonomous province of Vojvodina, who until now has had the power of veto in all decisions concerning Vojvodina. With this amendment, the Belgrade government has displayed a singular lack of understanding of the problems that are specific to Vojvodina as a multi-ethnic province. In addition, the amendments also extend the deadline for the privatisation of media operated by local government authorities until the end of 2008. According to the original Act, the deadline for privatisation was the summer of 2006, said in the statement. "Instead of speeding up the process of political independence, the Serbian Government is leaving the electronic media at the mercy of local authorities until after the next local elections in Serbia in 2008," said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. SEEMO is particularly alarmed over fact that, under the new amendments, the deadline for the transition of Radio Television Serbia (RTS) from a state-controlled broadcaster to a public service broadcasting organisation had also been extended until 30 April 2006. "SEEMO calls on the Serbian Government to withdraw the draft amendments to the Broadcast Act and to enter into a wide-ranging consultation with media and other civil society groups before any further amendments are put forward," Vujovic added.