15. 12. 2005

DELAYS OF FREQUENCY TENDER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE STATE

BELGRADE, December 15, 2005 – The postponement of the tender for frequency allocation would mostly cause problems to broadcasters, due to a large number of pirate radio stations and disloyal competition, warns the member of the Broadcast Council Vladimir Cvetkovic. Cvetkovic also said the delays would affect the state too. “The money from the frequency fees that broadcasters would pay is envisaged to go to the state budget”, said Cvetkovic yesterday at the press conference following the session of the Broadcast Agency. He also confirmed that this body was ready to start with the tender for frequency allocation, but noted that it was obstructed by the Republic Telecommunication Agency (RATEL). Elaborating on the reasons for the postponement of the tender and blaming the Managing Board of the Telecommunication Agency, which was in strike, Cvetkovic said that the Broadcast Agency relied on the strict respect of the legal procedures in the tender, which would prevent those failing to get the frequency to challenge the tender. According to him, the demands of the Broadcast Agency contained “no personal or political background, but only a pragmatic approach to problems”. Cvetkovic reminded that the regulation of the broadcast sphere was one of the most important conditions for negotiations on stabilization and accession to EU. He pointed out that RATEL had halted all its activities on September 9, therefore, all the conditions were met for the Ministry of Capital Investments, the Serbian Parliament and the Government to take over the authority of the Agency for Telecommunications Managing Board, sign the proposed frequency plan and call the tender. “The Council has taken today all necessary steps under its legal competence and informed all authorized bodies on the state of affairs”, said the vice-chairman of the Broadcast Agency Council Aleksandar Vasic. Vasic commented on the arguments of Jovan Radunovic, president of the Telecommunications Agency Managing Board, who said that the government had failed to provide them with the software for verification of the frequency allocation plan, saying that this body “was obliged to begin its operations from May 27”. Vasic also pointed that RATEL had set the price list for technical licenses for transmitters, which contained extremely high rates.