04. 08. 2005

UNACCEPTABLE AMENDMENTS

BELGRADE, August 4, 2005 – Representatives of the Association of Independent Serbian Journalists (IJAS), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and the Media Division of the Nezavisnost Trade Union protested strongly against the draft amendments to the Broadcast Act at a press conference yesterday. The three organisations regarded these amendments as unacceptable. Chairman of the ANEM Managing Board Slobodan Stojsic called on the members of Parliament not to adopt the proposed amendments. He also suggested the valid Broadcast Act should be implemented and pressures on the members of the Broadcast Council should stop. Representatives of the three professional organisations voiced their mutual opinion that these amendments would only hinder the resolution of the media sector’s accumulated problems. At the same time, the professional organisations noted that they heard about the proposed changes from the media and that they have not been previously consulted or informed. President of IJAS Nebojsa Bugarinovic said that the proposed amendments to the Act would give certain members of the Council more authority. The fact that some members could stay in the Council for 18 years only prevents the fluctuation of this regulatory body. Bugarinovic pointed to the concealed attempt to deliberately annul certain rights of the province by revoking the power of veto of the Council member from Vojvodina. Bugarinovic added that the postponement for the privatization of local media until December 31, 2008 evidently demonstrated Government's intention to control media until the new elections. “The delayed privatisation will be used only to hold up the RTS transformation and to preserve political influence and power in the broadcasting field until the new elections”, Slobodan Stojsic pointed out. Vice-president of the Nezavisnost Union Dragan Milanovic said that the government was reluctant to bring order into the broadcasting sphere. “The government still shows its intention to control the electronic media, introducing confusion into the field by misinterpreting the articles of the current valid Act”, said Milanovic. All three organisations noted it was still unclear why the government proposed new amendments to the Act before it has been implemented. Only its implementation would prove if the Act was really unworkable.