The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) calls on the members of the outgoing Government of Serbia and the daily newspaper Politika to immediately reveal to the public all relevant information about the transfer of ownership over the newspaper. The fact that WAZ, as a co-owner of Politika, had announced its intention to sell its share long time ago, does not explain why the sale was conducted in a non-transparent manner. NUNS welcomes the decision of the state not to use the right of first purchase, since its Media Strategy stipulates withdrawal of the state from media ownership. NUNS expects that the controversial sale of a part of Politika will be clarified as soon as possible, preventing speculations and political fighting between the outgoing and future government.
(NUNS, UNS,18.07.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS)

The Journalist's Association of Serbia demands that Mirko Cvetkovic, Ivica Dacic and Predrag Markovic immediately investigate the suspicious purchase of Politika and answer the questions about the ownership over the company East Media Group:

• What happened to the government's right of first purchase in relation to Politika AD?
• Is Miroslav Bogicevic in any way involved with the East Media Group? Does the Committee for Protection of Competition know the identity of the real owner of East Media Group?
• How quickly did the Anti-Monopoly Commission approve the purchase?
• Has the Administration for Prevention of Money Laundering verified the origin of the money?
• Who issued the bank guarantee for the loan that was used to buy Politika?
• Is it true that the transaction is worth more than only ten million euros?
• What have the authorities done to verify that the transaction does not involve money of suspicious origin?
• What is the reason for instant registration of the new owner of Politika by the Business Registers Agency, i.e. on the same day when the request was submitted?
• Is it true that the legal representative of the East Media Group is the former deputy director of the Business Registers Agency?

(Informer, UNS, 18.07.2012)

Novinski sindikati

In a response to the change in ownership structure, the Trade Union of Journalists of Politika and the Independent Trade Union of PNM expect that the ownership change, the new owner, and the new government of Serbia will create conditions for more successful business operations.
(UNS,18.07.2012)

The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA)

The Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency has decided to initiate proceedings against broadcasters who had aired the advertisement of the National Lottery of Serbia, Sportingbets.rs, which advertises sport bets. Taking into account the report from experts about the content of the advertisement, the Council has decided that in given circumstances it can be considered indecent. The Council has also decided to begin procedure for adoption of a new Rulebook on categorization and classification of programme content that can jeopardize physical, moral and mental development of children and youth.
(RRA, 13.06.2012)

The Republic Agency for Electronic Communication (RATEL)

The Republic Agency for Electronic Communication (RATEL) is not authorized to regulate the roaming prices, precisely because of the fact that roaming is regulated by bilateral commercial contracts between domestic providers and their partners from other countries, in which foreign partners have the right to freely form the price of roaming services. On June 13, 2012, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union adopted regulations about roaming withing public mobile communication networks within the countries belonging to the European Economic Zone. The regulation limit the price of the roaming services to not more than: 29 eurocents per minute for outbound calls, 8 eurocents per minute for inbound calls, and 9 eurocents per each sent SMS (reception of SMS messages remains free). The Republic of Serbia became a candidate for EU membership in March 2012 and soon after that RATEL was allowed to participate in the activities of the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) as an observer. Observer countries have launched an initiative to receive recommendation from the European Commission that would allow implementation of limited roaming prices in the countries outside the Zone, since such a decision is not within the scope of authority of national regulatory bodies of individual countries.
(RATEL, 16.07.2012)

The Media Association

The Media Association expects that the authorities immediately make transparent the new ownership structure of the oldest daily newspaper in Serbia and the Balkans. "The Managing Board of the Media Association has repeatedly insisted on the need for absolute transparency of changes in ownership, especially over the media whose part is owned by the state", says the organization's press statement.
(Beta, Vecernje novosti, 18.07.2012)

Other news

A call for assistance to the Theater of Vranje, which was destroyed in a fire, was initiated by journalists of Danas, RTV B92, Vecernje Novosti, NTV 017, RTV Vranje, Press, Tanjug and Beta, with support from the management of the Theater of Vranje.
(Danas, 06.07.2012)

The Managing Board of RTV Vranje has decided to pay 100,000 dinars for renovation of the old building of the Theater "Bora Stankovic" that has been destroyed in a fire.
(Blic – Serbia, UNS, 06.07.2012)