Media situation in Serbia

Media associations and organizations are deeply concerned and dissatisfied with the quiet obstruction by authorities regarding independent bodies and institutions whose area of competence includes protection of civil rights and freedom. The most recent example is the refusal of the ruling coalition to timely appoint the Protector of Citizens and thereby ensure proper functioning of this body in its full capacity.
(NUNS, UNS, ANEM, NDNV, Local Press,13.03.2012)

The management of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) has decided to persist in their attempts to achieve annulment of the verdict of the Court of Appeals in Belgrade. The Court has declared the building located at 28 Resavska Street in Belgrade to be a joint property of the UNS and the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS). Regardless of the outcome of future legal proceedings, the management of UNS has decided to offer NUNS a proposal to begin negotiations about creation of a joint journalistic organization.
(UNS, 02.03.2012, ASMEDI NEWSLETTER, March 2012. NDNV, 05.03.2012)

Ivana Vujanov writes in Dnevnik: "The latest press statement issued by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) praises television stations for their adherence to the provisions of the Law on Advertising. The RRA noted that during the period between 1 June and 31 December 2011, TV stations with nationwide coverage committed seven and a half times less violations of the Law on Advertising than during the same period in 2010. Although seemingly positive, this result is far from ideal, and it certainly cannot indicate that the number of violations of the Law on Advertising was drastically reduced thanks to steps taken by the RRA. On the contrary, the report has exposed RRA to public criticism because of its tendency to impose fines instead of implementing the Law in its full extent."
(Dnevnik – Special Supplement, 03.03.2012)

In the last three years, the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) has approved more than 70 changes in the ownership structure of radio and television stations, reports Blic. Although the Law on RRA does not allow that the licenses for broadcasting frequencies issued to national broadcasters in 2006 be transferred, sold or rented, new owners of television stations have acquired these frequencies together with the majority ownership shares that they have purchased. In a formal legal sense, the broadcasting frequencies of these television broadcasters were not for sale, but the legal framework has allowed them to be sold and bought behind-the-scenes. Professor Rade Veljanovski is of the opinion that the Council is obliged to organize a new public contest for issuance of the license for a broadcasting frequency as soon as one of the media owners withdraws from ownership. Vladimir Vodinelic, who is a former member of the RRA, says that the Ministry which is competent for the media should have reacted long ago and protected the public interest.
(Blic, UNS, NUNS, 06.03.2012)

Non-governmental organizations, the Bureau of Social Research and Memo 98 from Slovakia will monitor the media during the six week-long pre-election period in Serbia. Three bi-weekly reports on media reporting during the campaign will be presented to the public, it was announced at a press conference.
(Danas, NUNS, 08.03.2012)

Assessments of the current media situation in Serbia

Ljiljana Smajlovic writes in daily newspaper Danas: "The fact that our independent media is financed by Western donations is not an issue. The problem lies in the fact that today, when these funds are not available anymore, the fighters for free journalism have disappeared as well. There were so many of them during the time when we fought against Milosevic, applauded and funded by the West. Today, when the applause fell silent and donations are not available anymore, when 'our side' has won the power, the fighters for the freedom of information are nowhere to be found."
(Danas, UNS, 01.03.2012)

In a wide-ranging interview, the president of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), Ljiljana Smajlovic, says: "During the nineties we had more independent media outlets in Serbia than we have today. In the last three years, at least, the freedom of expression has been on the decline. This fact has been noted by relevant international organizations. Last year, two editors-in-chief in Serbian media were removed from their positions due to political pressure. Criminal charges were brought against two journalists who had informed the public about the facts of public importance related to inability of state institutions to defend the country. In a more free country, such stories would have brought them praises and awards."
(Pecat, 02.03.2012)

The president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia, Vukasin Obradovic, said that the Government of Serbia was opposed to the Media Strategy. "The current government not only has not begun implementation of the Media Strategy, but is persistently doing the opposite. According to the Action Plan, a new Law on Information and a draft law regulating the electronic media as well as the Law on Public Service Broadcasters, should be adopted or prepared during the period of 18 months. As far as we are aware, these laws are not even being prepared. Eleven years after the democratic changes, the situation in the Serbian journalism has never been worse. Pressure on the media, control over the media, difficult financial position of journalists, lowering of journalistic standards – these are the characteristics of the Serbian journalism today", says Obradovic.
(Nova Nasa rec, Juzne vesti, Uzička nedelja, NUNS, 06.03.2012)

The European Parliament (EP) is concerned because of the attempts to control and interfere with reporting of the media in Serbia, and calls on the Serbian government to guarantee "the independence of media outlets from political pressure and any other influence". The EP praises the Action Plan for implementation of the Media Strategy adopted by the Serbian government, as well as "the planned withdrawal of the state from media ownership". The EP is "concerned because of threats against Serbian journalists" and demands "full investigation of these threats so that journalists could perform their activities efficiently, safely and without need for self-censorship". In the draft resolution, the EP also demands "equal access to the advertising market, including the money allocated from the state budget for the purpose of advertising and marketing", and calls on journalists "to adhere to the journalistic Code of Ethics". The European Parliament "regrets that fact that the authorities imposed a media blockade on incidents that took place in the north of Kosovo in July 2011 and misrepresented the role of KFOR in these events".
(Beta, FoNet, NUNS, UNS, NDNV, 01.03.2012)

SEEMO observes increasing pressure on local media in Serbia. On March 9, 2012, the president of the city council in Zagubica, reportedly decided that the local TV broadcaster. In a separate incident, a day earlier, a city councilor in Sremska Mitrovica, allegedly verbally insulted a local journalist who asked if it was true that she was resigning. On March 7, 2012, SEEMO reported another incident: the authorities of the municipality of Becej, allegedly prevented Nened Jovovic, a journalist with the regional public broadcaster Radio Televizija Vojvodine (RTV), from attending a municipal meeting. The recurring incidents and pressure on local media coincide with an electoral campaign for Parliamentary elections, scheduled for May 6, 2012. “I observe mounting pressure on local media in Serbia,” said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic. I call on Serbia’s authorities to protect reporters from the arbitrary behavior of local politicians, and organise training for politicians and civil servants on public information and the role of media in society.”
(SEEMO, 12.03.2012)

The deputy president of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), Aleksandar Vucic, claims that President Tadic intends to appear in prime time slots in the media promoting the Democratic Party (DS). During a press conference, Vucic said that the regulations on advertising of political parties adopted by the Republic Broadcasting Agency were aimed against SNS. "The authorities had ordered the RRA to adopt rules that could only have been adopted during the rule of Pol Pot or Idi Amin" – said Vucic. In his words, prices of five-minute time slots in the electronic media range from 5,000 to 10,000 euros. Vucic said that Tadic would have a free 20-minute appearance during prime-time slots on all TV stations each day until the announcement of presidential elections.
(Dnevnik, Politika, Pravda, 13.03.2012)

The state and the media

The Democratic Party (DS) and United Regions of Serbia (URS) have launched a media 'invasion' dedicated to the visit of their leaders to Geneva, reports daily newspaper Danas. Between Tuesday at 10.30 and Wednesday at 01.30, URS published 15 media reports in total, while Mladjan Dinkic himself posted another dozen reports on the Internet. During the same period, DS published "only" five news items. However, national electronic media dedicated most attention to the activities of the president, Boris Tadic, while Mladjan Dinkic received much less media coverage, shows the analysis performed by Danas. Evening news shows aired by RTS, TV B92, TV Prva and TV Pink Tuesday evening began with reports made by special correspondents from Geneva. RTS dedicated almost five minutes to this news, while other broadcasters spent 2-2.5 minutes. The public service broadcaster gave 2.5 minutes (i.e. half of the news report) to the live interview with President Tadic. B92 also aired a 90-second interview (comprising two thirds of the whole news report) with the president: its journalist interviewed the president inside the new Fiat car. TV Pink and TV Prva aired Tadic's public statement, which took much less time in comparison with RTS and B92. Only TV Pink broadcast an interview with Mladjan Dinkic, giving him even more air time than Tadic.
(Danas, 08.03.2012)

A session of the Assembly of Arandjelovac was interrupted because live airing of the session was not allowed. "I have always demanded that Assembly sessions be open to the public", says Nikola Obradovic, the president of the Assembly. "It didn't happen this time because none of the three local radio and television stations is authorized by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) to broadcast the sessions".
(Pravda – Serbia, 13.03.2012)

Public service broadcasters

Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) issued a statement saying that RTS has nothing to do with the introduction of the TV fee, its collection or billing, and that electrical power companies have been tasked with everything that is related to billing and collection of the TV fee, in accordance with law.
(Kurir, UNS, NUNS, 01.03.2012)

The president of the Consumers' Association in Kikinda, Aleksandar Korac, commented on the fact that 82 debtors who have not paid the TV fee during the last five years received court orders on forced collection of debt. He reminded that "the TV fee can be collected via court orders only for the period of one year after the submission of the lawsuit, because previous debt automatically expires, i.e. there cannot be retroactive collection“. Korac advises those who have received decisions on forced collection of debt to exercise their right to appeals during the period of five days.
(Vecernje Novosti - Vojvodina, UNS, 01.03.2012)

The general director of RTV, Sinisa Isakov, said in Novi Sad that the broadcaster is in especially difficult position because the TV fee payment system was very complicated and difficult to control. Citizens of Vojvodina pay the TV fee to the power company "Elektrovojvodina", which transfers the money to "Elektroprivreda Srbije", which then pays it to Radio-Television Serbia (RTS). RTS is supposed to give 70 percent of that money to RTV.
(Pravda, 10.03.2012)

Although Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) announced a public contest for employment of "one hundred young experts for the 21st century" already on 13 July of the last year, to this day it has not been announced which candidates have entered the third round of selection, designed to test the expertise of the candidates.
(Kurir, 03.03.2012)

The third round of selection of candidates who had passed previous tests for employment of 100 young experts in RTS will be held in mid-April, announced the public service broadcaster. The company invited the Kurir journalists to report on the event.
(Kurir, 05.03.2012)

Threats, attacks and legal proceedings against journalists; media trials and disputes

The Movement "I Live for Krajina", led by the mayor of Zajeca, Bosko Nicic, has announced intention to file charges and lawsuit against TV and Radio Timocka because of "publication of untruths about the movement".
(Pravda, UNS, 01.03.2012)

The First Primary Prosecutor's Office brought criminal charges against Dejan Zitic, who last week attacked the journalistic team of TV Studio B, and asked the court to extend his detention.
(Tanjug, B92, 02.03.2012, Alo!, Kurir, 03.03.2012)

The president of the Municipal Assembly of Cuprija, Ksenija Milosevic (who is a member of the Democratic Party), left the event dedicated to the launch of a new TV because the political program of SDS was also presented at the event. However, things eventually cooled off and Ksenija Milosevic was interviewed by the new TV station, whose program will begin airing on Monday.
(Press, Vecernje Novosti - Serbia, 03.03.2012)

The National Bank of Serbia (NBS) submitted a complaint to the Press Council related to several articles published by the daily newspaper Press, characterizing them as "malicious and biased". NBS claims that these articles have "damaged the reputation" of the institution and violated the journalistic Code of Conduct.
(B92, NUNS, 04.03.2012)

The editorial office of the daily newspaper Press gave a strong response, demanding that the governor of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) explain how the articles published by Press have threatened the activities of NBS.
(Press, UNS, 05.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the threats against Slavko Kostic, the correspondent of Sportski Zurnal from Gornji Milanovac, that were made by Vladan Petrovic, the sport director of the Football Club "Metalac". UNS warns that threats against the security of journalists can be punished by imprisonment of up to eight years. UNS expects that authorities will punish these threats in accordance with the Criminal Code.
(UNS, 05.03.2012, Alo!, Blic, 06.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) protested because the the correspondent of RTV, Nenad Jovicevic, was prevented from entering the building of the Municipal Assembly of Becej and attending the press conference. UNS reminds the representatives of the local self-government that this act constitutes a serious violation of the Law on Information.
(UNS, 06.03.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) strongly condemns the decision of the president of the Municipality of Becej, Peter Knezi, to prevent the journalist of RTV, Nenad Jovicevic, from entering the building of the Municipal Assembly of Becej. The journalist was not allowed to report from the session dedicated to the security situation in Backo Petrovo Selo and Backo Gradiste. We consider this ban to constitute an attack on the freedom of the media, says NDNV.
(NDNV, 06.03.2012)

The president of the Municipality of Becej, Peter Knezi, said that the journalist with RTV, Nenad Jovicevic, was recently prevented from reporting from his press conference because he had not been invited. Knezi said in an open letter that he had personally told Jovicevic that he would not invite him anymore to his press conferences because of Jovicevic's inaccurate reporting about the activities of the local self-government.
(Beta, NDNV, 09.03.2012)

The South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) and the International Press Institute (IPI) have condemned the decision of the mayor of Becej, Peter Knezi, to prevent the correspondent of RTV, Nenad Jovicevic, from entering the building of the Municipal Assembly.
(Beta, NDNV, 07.03.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) yesterday strongly condemned the decision of the mayor of the Becej, Peter Knezi, to prevent the correspondent of RTV, Nenad Jovicevic, from entering the building of the Municipal Assembly. NUNS press statement says that Jovicevic was not allowed to report from the session, which constitutes pressure on the media.
(Dnevnik, NUNS, UNS, 08.03.2012)

The Higher Court in Novi Sad held a session related to the legal case against the leader of the political party New Serbia, Velimir Ilic, who was sued by journalist Vladimir Jesic. Velimir Ilic did not appear in the Court, but his lawyer did.
(B92, NUNS, 05.03.2012, Alo, 06.03.2012)

Abit P. (25) and Izudin C. (23) from Novi Pazar were arrested under suspicion of attacking the crew of the Federal Television Bosnia and Herzegovina and damaging their camera in the Sutjeska Street yesterday. The three-member crew from FTV BiH was recording a news item on Wahhabis. The attack was reported to the police and the suspects were soon arrested.
(Blic, Kurir, Press, 07.03.2012, Blic, NUNS, 08.03.2012)

The Primary Court has decided to release Abid P. and Izudin C. from a 48-hour detention to defend themselves. They have been charged with violent behavior and damaging of someone else's property.
(Vecernje Novosti - Srbija, 10.03.2012)

The president of the political organization Strong Serbia Movement, Bogoljub Karic, has filed a lawsuit against Olja Beckovic, the editor of the TV programme "The Impression of the Week", because of impermissible public commenting on legal proceedings. Olja Beckovic will appear in court together with her legal representative.
(MC, b92.net, UNS, 08.03.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) have strongly condemned the conduct of the acting director of the Meat Industry "Srem Sid", Nikola Utvic, who threw journalists out from the premises of the company and refused to give them information necessary for their work. Unfortunately, this kind of behavior has become common, indicating a troubling lack of awareness about the role of the media and journalists in today's society. For this reason, we need solidarity among journalists and media professionals, say the NUNS and NDNV.
(Dnevnik, NUNS, NDNV, 07.03.2012, Vecernje Novosti – Vojvodina, 12.03.2012)

The president of the Municipality of Zagubica, Dragi Damnjanovic, beat the journalist working for the local TV AS, Aleksandra Djordjevic, during a public event held in Krupaja.
(Kurir, 11.03.2012 Danas, UNS, Blic – Serbia, Alo!, 12.03.2012)

Journalist with TV AS from Krepoljine, Aleksandra Djordjevic (24) said that she intended to sue the president of the Municipality of Zagubica, Dragi Damnjanovic, for physical assault. "I did not insult or hit the journalist", said Damnjanovic. The recording of the incident is available on the Youtube under the title "Napad predsednika opštine Zagubica na televiziju".
(B92, NUNS, 11.03.2012, Press, Danas, NUNS, 12.03.2012, Pravda, 13.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the attack of the president of the Municipality of Zagubica, Dragi Damnjanovic, on the crew from the local station TV AS as well as the arrogant behavior of the official of the Municipality of Sremska Mitrovica, Zorica Gaspar, towards a journalist working for TV Sremska. UNS is concerned with the demonstrated rudeness and brutality of public officials towards journalists and the local media.
(UNS, 10.03.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) is shocked with the violent behavior of a local official towards a journalist who was only doing her job and reporting on a public event. What is also shocking is the fact that Dragi Jovanovic, although he is aware that the incident was recorded on camera, still claims that he "did not even frown upon the journalist, let alone insulted her or physically attacked her". NUNS expects that the police, who has been informed about the attack, initiate a proper legal procedure against the attacker. At the same time, NUNS is awaiting a response from the Municipality of Zagubica, as well as the leaders of the political party G71 Plus, whose member is Jovanovic.
(NUNS, Beta, Politika, 12.03.2012)

Dragi Damnjanovic was listed as The Loser in appropriate sections of no less than three daily newspapers. The president of the Municipality of Zagubica physically attacked a journalist with a local TV station, Aleksandra Djordjevic.
(Alo!, 12.03.2012, Blic, Pravda, 13.03.2012)

Dejan Milenkovic Bagzi, a former member of a criminal organization, who had successfully participated in kidnappings and murders, sued the editors of the daily newspaper Pravda because their articles had allegedly threatened his business and damaged his reputation and honor.
(Pravda, 08.03.2012)

A former director and editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine Napred, Jovan Bugarski, has been sentenced to six months in prison, or two years of suspended sentence, for abuse of official position.
(Blic - Srbija, UNS, 12.03.2012)

After a response from the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) and numerous media reports, the head of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport of Sremska Mitrovica, Zorica Gaspar, denied that she had verbally attacked the journalists with TV Sremska, Danijela Romandic. "The one-sided reporting on this case has threatened my fundamental human right, the right to my own point of view, thereby damaging my integrity and hugely inconveniencing my family", said Gaspar.
(UNS, 13.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the threats against the recent editor-in-chief of the newspaper Suboticke Novine and the deputy president of the UNS, Branko Zujovic, which were made by a customs official from the city of Subotica, Iso Dautovski. UNS points out that provisions of the Criminal Code that have been in force for almost two years stipulate that threatening of security of persons who perform duties of public importance carries a sentence of 1-8 years in prison.
(UNS, 13.03.2012)

The Association of Sport Journalists of Serbia has called on colleagues from TV Lav from Uzice and the SOS Channel to strongly oppose the pressure coming from the leader of the Football Club Sloboda Point from Uzice, Dragan Subotic, aimed at directly influencing the editorial policy of these media outlets because of his dislike for the media reports authored by journalist Zoran Kanacki. The Association also demands a decisive response from competent institutions, most of all the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) and everyone else who is aware of the importance of the freedom of the media for development of democracy and achievement of European standards.
(UNS, 13.03.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) has filed a complaint against the Court of Appeals, before the High Judicial Council, the Ministry of Justice and the president of the Court of Appeals. The UNS' complaint points out the irregularities that had influenced the outcome of the case decided by the Court of Appeals after appeal by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), which ruled that both NUNS and UNS were joint owners of the building located at 28 Resavska Street.
(UNS, 14.03.2012)

Investigations of murders of journalists

The murderer of Slavko Curuvija is the same person who murdered the BBC journalist Jill Dando, believes Branka Prpa, Curuvija's wife, who was with him at the moment of his murder in the center of Belgrade on 11 April 1999. British Daily Mail reports that Prpa is convinced that Jill Dando and Slavko Curuvija lost their lives because of a political revenge of the Milosevic's regime.
(Blic, UNS, Vecernje Novosti, 04.03.2012, Pravda, 05.03.2012)

The Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights (JUKOM) and families of employees of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) who were killed during the bombing of RTS in 1999, called today on the republic public prosecutor, Zagorka Dolovac, to urgently act on the request submitted by the families and initiate legal proceedings against the organizers and executors of "sacrificing" of the RTS employees. In a joint statement, reminding of the "tradition of legal expiration of criminal acts in Serbia due to inactivity of judicial and state institutions", they emphasize that no witnesses or suspects have been examined to this day; that not a single prosecutor's office has unambiguously established their competence in this case; and that "state bodies that possess material evidence about the involvement of the army have refused to deliver that evidence to the court".
(Beta, NDNV, 12.03.2012, Pravda, 24 sata, Politika, UNS, 13.03.2012)

The minority media

On March 5, TV Timocka will begin broadcasting news subtitled in Vlach language. The translated news, which will air each day at 15.00, will deliver to the Vlach population information on current events in Timocka Krajina, Serbia and the world.
(Kurir, UNS, 01.03.2012)

The National Council of Hungarians has decided to appoint a journalist with the weekly magazine "Het Nap", Viktor Tomek, as the acting editor-in-chief of the magazine, while the economist Edit Laslo has been appointed as its acting director. The mandate of the previous editor-in-chief, Karolj Dudas, who had been at the helm of the magazine for 20 years, has expired. On the eve of his retirement, the officials from the National Council praised his career achievements. Members of the managing boards of "Magyar Szo" and "Het Nap" have been removed from their position and new members appointed. At the end of the financial year, "Magyar Szo" and "Het Nap" achieved profit in the amount of 11.5 and 3.0 million dinars, respectively. Members of the National Council of Hungarians have also removed from position the members of managing and monitoring boards of the Publishing Institution "Forum", as well as the Vojvodina Hungarians' Cultural Agency. At the yesterday's session, the status of the Foundation "Mozaik" was confirmed, which means that the National Council of Hungarians has become a co-founder of the Foundation and TV Mozaik.
(Magyar szo, NDNV, 01.03.2012)

The acting editor-in-chief of the weekly magazine "Het Nap", Viktor Tomek, said that in the future, the content of the weekly magazine should be based primarily on the expectations defined by the Media Strategy of Vojvodina Hungarians, and that the magazine should offer a response to serious challenges. Tomek pointed out the need to change the profile of the magazine, redesign it and increase the number of its readers.
(Magyar szo, NDNV, 14.03.2012)

On Saturday, Hungarians from the city of Pancevo celebrated a rare occasion: 500th issue of the TV programme aired by a local television station under the title "Hungarian Minutes". This is the only programme in Hungarian language broadcast by this multilanguage TV station. The 30-minute programme is being aired each Thursday, offering reports about important events related to local Hungarians, the surrounding region, as well as the Southern Banat. The celebration was attended by the Hungarian Ambassador in Belgrade, Oskar Nikovic.
(Magyar szo, NDNV, 05.03.2012)

The Municipal Board of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians withdrew its two members from the editorial board of the local bilingual media outlet of the Municipal Assembly of Coka, "Cokanska Hronika", explaining its decision by their inability to influence the editorial policy. Founded as a news bulletin of the Municipality of Coka, "Hronika" has been in print for seven years with a circulation of 2,000 free copies a month.
(Dnevnik, 07.03.2012)