The media situation in Serbia

The 33rd Monitoring Report about the media scene in Serbia is available on the website of ANEM. More details here: www.anem.rs/sr/aktivnostiAnema/monitoring/story/13548/Trideset+treci+monitoring+izveštaj
(MC, 02.07.2012)

The Media Association, whose membership includes 13 newspaper companies with nine daily newspapers, 130 magazines and two news agencies, expects that the new government would immediately enter into a dialog with the media industry about the advancement of business operations of all participants in the newspaper and publishing sectors. Unless appropriate measures are not immediately taken, Serbia will become one of the few countries in Europe without any print media, says the press statement issued by the Managing Board of the Association.

The Managing Board of the Media Association insists on the following:
· That the Media Strategy, whose Action Plan has been unacceptably delayed, be completely implemented;
· That the state fully withdraw from media ownership in all media outlets that are still partially or fully owned by the state, in a transparent manner and according to the procedure and deadlines defined by the Media Strategy;
· That new media laws be immediately amended, supplemented or drafted, in accordance with the Media Strategy, especially with regard to the Law on Information, the Law on Advertising, the Law on Public Service Broadcasters and the Law on Electronic Communication;
· That regional and local public service broadcasters not be established and that all budget funds intended for the media be distributed only by the way of project-based financing;
· That the VAT on print media be reduced to four percent or two percent, in accordance with the initiative of the European Newspaper Publishers Association;
· That all customs duties on import of raw materials and equipment for the print media be revoked, and that employment in the media sector be stimulated.

The Managing Board of the Association calls on all participants that the new prime minister and the ministers of culture, trade and finances meet immediately after the formation of the new Government in order to discuss measures aimed at reversal of the process of further ruination and disappearance of the print media.
(Tanjug, Beta, Blic, Dnevnik, Danas, Press, Vecernje novosti, UNS, NDNV, Politika, Pregled, NIN, NUNS, 26.06.2012.)

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) demands that the Law on Information be amended due to the verdict passed by the Court of Appeals. According to the verdict, TV B92 is obliged to pay damages to the individual mentioned in a police press statement that had been broadcast by the TV station.
(Blic, 23.06.2012)

The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Protection of Personal Data Rodoljub Sabic says that it is unacceptable that journalists could be held legally accountable for damages to someone's honor or reputation because of reporting on statements issued by authorities. The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) demands that the Law on Information be reconsidered because of the verdict according to which TV B92 is obliged to pay damages to a person mentioned in a press statement issued by the police.
(Tanjug, Kurir, Blic, NUNS, Politika, Press, 24.06.2012, Blic, UNS, 25.06.2012)

The owner of the weekly magazine Apatinske Novine, Jovan Banjac has decided to close down the newspaper after the formation of a new municipal government coalition in Apatin, consisting of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), the Democratic Party (DS) and the Serbian Radical Party (SRS). In his press statement, Banjac says that voters have been betrayed by local Democrats who had decided to form a government with Socialists. No one needs independent newspapers anymore, since 26 out of 29 deputies in the local parliament are members of the ruling coalition, says Banjac.
(Vecernje novosti - Vojvodina, UNS, NUNS, 03.07.2012)

After the yesterday's statement made by the acting director of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), Aleksandar Vucic, who said that the repeal of the draconian Law on Information would be one of the priorities of his party in the new government, media associations have responded in different ways. The vice president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), Jelka Jovanovic, agrees that the Law on Information should be modified, but is of the opinion that "it is not a good idea to make statements about revoking of the law, since media regulation needs to exist". "Regarding Aleksandar Vucic and our previous experience with his law on information, we are not looking forward to his announced involvement in this area. Restrictive provisions of the Law are not in effect anymore after they were all struck down by the Constitutional Court. Media regulation should be improved, and such efforts should be made on the level of experts, not on the political level", says Jovanovic. Unlike her, the vice president of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), Petar Jeremic, welcomed the statement made by the leader of the SNS. He expects that the National Parliament of Serbia will soon repeal the controversial law. "The UNS and the media coalition demand that the new government begin implementation of the Action Plan which is the integral part of the Media Strategy. We demand that the new government – unlike the previous government – consult journalistic and media associations during the process of preparation of the law."
(Politika, UNS, NUNS, 30.06.2012)

Opinions about the current media situation in Serbia

The legal advisor of the president of Serbia, Oliver Antic, is of the opinion that interference of the executive branch of government in the fight against crime, as well as the fact that the media were strictly controlled, were the main obstacle to establishment of the rule of law in Serbia.
(Blic, Informer,UNS, 30.06.2012)

The media in Serbia are under strong influence of politicians, while the freedom of speech has been slightly improved in comparison with the period immediately before the democratic changes – this is the main conclusion of the report issued by the American non-governmental organization "Irex Promedia". During a round table entitled "Results of the Media Sustainability Index in Serbia 2012" held in the Media Center Belgrade, Goran Cetinic from "Irex Promedia" said that the data had shown that the freedom of speech in Serbian media had "marginally increased" as compared with 2001. However, he also pointed out that the media were "too politicized". Cetinic reminds that the Media Sustainability Index has been established for 11 years in Serbia and that it takes into account indicators like the freedom of speech, transparency of sources, economic self-sufficiency and media professionalism.
(Tanjug, Beta, Fonet, NUNS, Pregled, Politika, Danas, UNS, e-novine, TeVe novine, 30.07.2012)

The state and the media

News agencies Beta and FoNet demand that the Committee for Control of State Assistance investigate the assistance given to the publicly-owned company "NA Tanjug" during the last two years, and point out that this assistance constitutes a violation of the free competition in the market and is contrary to domestic laws and international agreements.
(Beta, Danas, B92, NUNS, Dnevnik, Vecernje novosti, UNS, 30.06.2012)

Public service broadcasters

Local self-governments are not willing to cooperate with the media and usually expect them to operate as press departments of the local authorities – this is the conclusion of the project by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) entitled "Greater Transparency of Local Self-Governments – Right of Citizens, Obligation of the State", presented in Belgrade.
(Blic, 21.06.2012)

The management of Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS) has decided not to pay monthly bonuses to employees of the company who are not paying the TV fee.
(Novi Magazin, UNS, NUNS, 21.06.2012)

Around 400,000 families that have not been paying the TV fee might soon be contacted by court distrainers who would enforce payment of their debt, reports the daily newspaper Kurir. Lawyer Slobodan Kremenjak explains that court distrainers cannot enforce anything on citizens without appropriate court verdicts.
(http://www.mondo.rs/, NUNS, Kurir, 21.06.2012)

While Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) has been threatening citizens with court distrainers who would confiscate their property, at the same time the media company has violated the Law on Advertising 2,383 times during the las year and a half, reports the daily newspaper Kurir. Unlike the British BBC, which does not air commercials, Serbian public service broadcaster – run by Aleksandar Tijanic – has been allowed to make money on marketing as well, in accordance with the Law on Broadcasting. For this reason, it is not surprising that citizens revolt against the overabundance of advertising on the programme aired by RTS, the lack of cultural, educational and science content, as well as frequent reruns of series and films, by refusing to pay the TV fee. According to the report issued by the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA), covering the last three years, in 2009 and 2011 RTS did not air a single minute of cultural and educational programme, while in 2010 such programme amounted to 0.04 percent of the total programme aired by RTS. In the same period, the same type of programme consisted between 4.62 and 6.94 percent of the total programme broadcast on the second channel, RTS 2. The deputy president of the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency, Goran Karadzic, says that RRA has not established precise quotas for broadcasting of specific content. "If the public service broadcaster airs even a single second of educational programme, they are in compliance with the law", says Karadzic.
(Kurir, 22.06.2012, Kurir, 24.06.2012, Kurir, 25.06.2012)

There are two significant reasons for initiation of the procedure for judgment on constitutionality of collection of the TV fee, says Zoran Ivosevic, a former judge of the Supreme Court. He is of the opinion that collection of the TV fee violates the Constitution because it is contrary to the Articles 21 and 58 of the Constitution which guarantee legal equality and free use of property.
(Kurir, UNS, NUNS, 25.06.2012)

Several hundred citizens gathered yesterday in front of the headquarters of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) to protest the refusal of its director, Aleksandar Tijanic, to broadcast the film "The Weight of Chains", authored by the Serbian-Canadian film director Boris Malagurski. During the distribution of protest leaflets in front of the RTS building, on the night between Friday and Saturday, an employee of RTS, Milovan Cvetic, attacked the director Boris Malagurski and the team of young activists who had organized the event to protest the media blackout on RTS.
(Kurir, Alo!, UNS, 24.06.2012)

The general director of Radio-Television Serbia, Aleksandar Tijanic, says that the public service broadcaster needs around 60 million euros annually from the TV fee, as well as 23 million euros from advertising, and that the company ended the previous year with a small profit, but that the current year will not end in the same way.
(Blic, 24.06.2012)

In response to demands that the TV fee be revoked, the general director of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS), said that those who propose such move desire to transform the RTS into a small and non-influential radio and TV station and subsequently close it down.
(Vecernje novosti, UNS, 24.06.2012)

Radio-Television Serbia (RTS) cannot afford to produce new programmes, but somehow has enough money to pay up to 160,000 dinars a month in bonuses to its employees, reports the daily newspaper Kurir. Even worse, the public service broadcaster, which "serves all citizens of Serbia", pays bonuses to its employees despite the fact that the company suffered losses amounting to 40,376,000 dinars in 2011. In recent years, the losses of the company amounted to 40,376,000 dinars in 2011; 540,000,000 dinars in 2010; 1,394,766,000 dinars in 2009; and 307,080,000 dinars in 2008.
(Kurir, 23.06.2012)

Cancellation of the TV fee and transition to funding from the national budget, for example, would cause RTS to lose its character of a public service broadcaster, says Predrag Markovic, a member of the Managing Board of Radio-Television Serbia (RTS). He is of the opinion that demands for revoking of the TV fee are pure demagogy.
(Blic, NUNS, UNS, 26.06.2012)

President of Serbia Tomislav Nikolic should keep his promise, made during the election campaign, and revoke the TV fee, said yesterday Jovan Jovanovic, the president of the Center for Protection of Consumers "Forum" from Nis. The organization sent a letter to Nikolic on this subject.
(Kurir, Politika, Press, Vecernje novosti - Srbija, 26.06.2012)

In response to differing opinions about financial obligations of citizens and legal persons towards Radio-Television Serbia (RTS), the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) pointed out yesterday that financing of the public service broadcaster was based on law, and not on anyone's arbitrary will. The Association reminds that formation of the public service broadcaster of Serbia has a basis in European values and standards guaranteed by the Constitution of Serbia. The Association says that successful solutions might involve introduction of a public service broadcaster fee like in Croatia, on which RTS would not be obliged to pay VAT, or financing via electricity bills like in Turkey.
(Beta, Politika, 28.06.2012)

The South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) is concerned because of demands by individuals and certain civil society organizations that the TV fee be revoked. The organization says that revoking of the TV fee would allow political interference with the activities and programme of the public service broadcaster and that "public service broadcaster should not serve as the government's or political mouthpiece".
(Danas, NUNS, UNS, 29.06.2012)

Medijska organizacija Jugoistocne Evrope (SEEMO) izražava zabrinutost zbog apela upucenih od strane odredenih organizacija civilnog društva i pojedinaca iz Srbije, koji su zahtevali ukidanje TV pretplate za javni servis u Srbiji, Radio-Televiziju Srbije (RTS). Zastupnici ukidanja TV pretplate pozivaju se na predizborno obecanje nedavno izabranog predsednika Tomislava Nikolica. SEEMO smatra da bi ukidanje TV pretplate omogucilo politicke uticaje na funkcionisanje i programski sadržaj javnog emitera: medunarodno iskustvo pokazuje da drugi izvori informisanja, kao što su, na primer, državni budžet ili parlament, ne mogu garantovati uredivacku nezavisnost. SEEMO podseca da javni servis nije vladin ili partijski servis.
(SEEMO, 28.06.2012)

The Movement of Hungarian Hope considers that Hungarians from the north of Vojvodina should not pay the TV fee since "the large majority of Vojvodina Hungarians have never watched a single programme broadcast by the public service broadcaster. They mostly watch Hungarian TV channels distributed via cable networks."
(Press, RTV B92, NUNS, UNS, 30.06.2012)

According to the statement published on the website of Radio-Television of Serbia (www.rts.rs), the Managing Board of RTS unanimously supports the opinion of the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) that "international experience has shown that other sources of financing, for example from the national budget or the parliament, cannot guarantee editorial independence".
(RTV , NUNS, UNS, 04.07.2012)

Threats, attacks and legal proceedings against journalists; media-related trials

The leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) said yesterday that the media would be free, and pointed out that "the draconian Law on Information will be repealed". Aleksandar Vucic asked the "journalists who had been working for the benefit of the Democratic Party (DS) to wait until the formation of the government before they begin criticizing". Vucic announced that "the Hitlerian campaign, led by certain media outlets against Tomislav Nikolic, will be discussed in the National Parliament of Serbia, and it will be very interesting to find out who had been paid by whom".
(Informer, 30.06.2012)

The War Crimes Prosecutor's Office announced today that it was conducting pre-investigatory proceedings against unidentified individuals, journalists and editors of certain media companies in Serbia in relation to the criminal offense of inciting to criminal acts of war crimes. The Prosecutor's Office has decided to investigate specific cases of media reporting in Serbia which are reasonably suspected of constituting such criminal offense.
(The War Crimes Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Serbia, NUNS, Tanjug, NDNV, 21.06.2012, Dnevnik, Vecernje novosti, Politika, 22.06.2012, Informer, 29.06.2012)

Magazine Pecat reports: "The constant pressure of 'independent journalists' based in Belgrade to prosecute other journalists, mostly war reporters from various Serbian media outlets – considered by the 'independents' to be responsible for some of the war crimes – has been ongoing for two decades. We are now witnessing the final act of this dirty and dishonorable effort."
(Pecat, UNS, 29.06.2012)

Unidentified perpetrators set a car, an Alfa Romeo, on fire at a parking lot in Polita Desancica Street in Novi Sad. The car belongs to the journalist with daily newspaper Kurir, Zorica Radulovic.
(Alo!, Kurir, Press, UNS, NUNS, Politika, 24.06.2012, Blic, Kurir, 25.06.2012)

The police has intensified its search for individuals who set on fire the car belonging to the a journalist with the daily newspaper Kurir, Zorica Radulovic. We are getting closer to the identity of the arsonists, says the police.
(Kurir, UNS, NUNS, 28.06.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) demands that the police take all necessary measures to identify the individuals who set on fire the car belonging to the journalist with the daily newspaper Kurir, Zorica Radulovic. NUNS also demands that Zorica Radulovic be guaranteed her safety and security so that she could continue to perform her job. The attack took place late in the very center of Novi Sad in the evening on Friday, June 22.
(NUNS, 25.06.2012)

We demand that Zorica Radulovic be guaranteed her safety and security so that she could perform her job without hindrance, says the press statement issued by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS). The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) demands that perpetrators be brought to justice in accordance with the law, which forbids threats against safety of journalists, stipulating penalties ranging from one to eight years of imprisonment. The Independent Journalist's Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) demands that the motive behind the attack be investigated. The South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO) called on authorities in Serbia to identify and punish the individuals who set on fire the car belonging to the journalist of Kurir.
(Kurir, 26.06.2012)

SEEMO osuduje uništenje automobila Zorice Radulovic, novinara beogradskog dnevnog lista. „Pozivam policiju da istraži ovaj incident i da pocinioce privede pravdi. Pored toga, pozivam organe vlasti da zaštite novinare i da stvore okruženje u kojem medijski profesionalci mogu raditi slobodno i bezbedno“, izjavio je generalni sekretar Medijske organizacije Jugoistocne Evrope (SEEMO), Oliver Vujovic.
(SEEMO, 25.06.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina demands that the police take all necessary measures to identify the perpetrators who set on fire the car belonging to journalist Zorica Radulovic in Novi Sad Friday evening. At the same time, we demand that the motive behind this attack be established and its organizers be punished to the full extent of the law, says the Association's press statement.
(NDNV, 25.06.2012)

Albanians hackers attacked yesterday the web portal of Radio-Television Kragujevac (RTK) and placed a photograph with a the sign RBH (Red-Black Hackers) in red and black colors on its homepage. The attack occurred around noon, but the web administration of RTK managed to recover the website after twenty minutes.
(Alo!, 23.06.2012)

Premises of the local television station TV Zvizd are destroyed in a fire that started yesterday around 3.30 AM but, luckily, no one has been hurt. Studio equipment and inventory have been completely destroyed. According to first estimates, the damage amounts to more than 2.5 million dinars.
(Informer, Vecernje novosti - Srbija, Press, UNS, NUNS, 27.06.2012)

Journalistic crew from Radio-Television Vojvodina – journalist Nenad Jovicevic and cameraman Laslo Rac – were attacked, both verbally and physically, while they were recording the fire that took place in the workshop of DOO Agro-Lend from Becej, by the owner of the company, Roland Sabolcki. He cursed them and threatened to close down the TV station if a single scene of the fire is broadcast. Luckily, Sabolcki was prevented from fulfilling his illegal threats thanks to a timely intervention of a traffic policeman. In accordance with instructions from the police, the cameraman was examined in the emergency center. He suffered scratches on his right forearm.
(RTV, NUNS, 04.07.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) expects that the prosecutor's office in Becej immediately initiate criminal proceedings against the attacker on the team of journalists from Radio-Television Vojvodina. NUNS reminds that the criminal offense of threatening the safety of journalists on assignment carries a penalty of 1-8 years of imprisonment, while violent behaviour carries a penalty ranging from six months to five years of imprisonment.
(NUNS, MC, 04.07.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the attack on the journalist and cameraman of Radio-Television Vojvodina, Nenad Jovicevic and Laslo Rac, which took place in Becej today while they were recording a fire in the workshop of DOO Agro-Lend. UNS demands immediate investigation of the incident and reminds that the amended Criminal Code stipulates a prison sentence of 1-8 years for threatening of safety of journalists on assignment.
(UNS, 04.07.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) strongly condemns the attack on Radio-Television Vojvodina journalists in Becej and demands that authorities punish the attacker to the full extent of the law, as well as to establish the motive behind the attack. So far, attackers on journalists have usually remained unidentified or punished too leniently, which has only encouraged those who used to threaten, beat, and even kill journalists.
(NDNV, 04.07.2012)

Investigations of murders of journalists

The verdict against three high-ranked officials of the State Security Organizations because of organization of the attempt at life of Vuk Draskovic in Budva in 2000 is an encouraging sign which gives hope that investigation of the murder of Slavko Curuvija might yield results, since two of the three defendants are connected with this case, says lawyer Rajko Danilovic.
(Danas, UNS, NUNS, 21.06.2012)

According to media reports, if the verdict, published two days ago, sentencing Stevan Basta to seven years of imprisonment for assisting in the unsuccessful assassination of Vuk Draskovic, becomes legally enforceable, the prosecutor's office might offer him the status of a protected witness in possible legal proceedings related to the murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija, reports the daily newspaper Danas.
(Danas, 22.06.2012)

Investigators believe that Stevan Basta, the former head of the Belgrade Department of the State Security Agency, who was the recipient of reports about the following and monitoring of Slavko Curuvija, the owner of Dnevni Telegraf, knows all details about the murder of the journalist on April 11, 1999. Basta knows what happened and he could reveal this information as a protected witness, says a source of the daily newspaper Blic close to the investigation.
(Blic, NUNS, UNS, 23.06.2012)

The Media Strategy

The media coalition, consisting of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and Local Press, warned today of the extremely bad position of the media in Serbia – the worst since 2000. The coalition pointed out that it was necessary to implement the Media Strategy as soon as possible.
(NDNV, 27.06.2012)