The Ambassador of Great Britain in Serbia, Michael Davenport, said at the round table on decentralization – organized by the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) and supported by the Embassy of Great Britain – that decentralization is a tool that allows development of more capable, more responsible and more efficient administration.
(NDNV, 15/04/2011)

The claim made by the vice president of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), Jelka Jovanovic, that "members of both associations have the right to use the premises, is untrue, because the building has never been a legacy", says Nino Brajovic, the secretary-general of the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS).
(UNS, Politika, 15/04/2011)

For years, the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) has been trying to use court proceedings to regain the right to equal usage of the Journalists' Building in 28 Resavska Street, which it has been forced to leave. If the verdict is negative, the NUNS will use all legal options to overturn it, says Jelka Jovanovic, vice president of NUNS.
(Politika, 20/04/2011)

The First Primary Court in Belgrade has rejected the claim filed by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), which demanded ownership over the Journalists' Building in 28 Resavska Street, announced the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) yesterday. The UNS has pointed out that the court has rejected both the main and the alternative claim for a joint or partial ownership over the building in 28 Resavska Street that was filed by NUNS. It was added that the court has also made an enforceable decision in favor of UNS with regard to NUNS' request that the ownership of UNS over the Journalists' Building be annulled, and that the Constitutional Court of Serbia has rejected NUNS' initiative for assessment of constitutionality of the law of 1976, on the basis of which the Journalists' Building was returned to UNS.
(Beta, Politika, Press, Blic, UNS, 21/04/2011)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS)

The Executive Board of NUNS decided on 4 April to extend the deadline for payment of the membership fee until 1 October because of the serious financial crisis in the media industry of Serbia and a disastrous financial position of journalists and other media employees.
(NUNS Newsletter, 15/04/2011)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS)

According to results of the research conducted by the Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), daily newspapers in Serbia are the cheapest in the region. Alo! and Pravda cost the least – 15 dinars; Kurir and Blic cost 20 and 25 dinars per copy, respectively; Press, Vecernje Novosti and Danas cost 30 dinars. Politika is most expensive – 35 dinars, which is still far below the price of newspapers in neighboring countries. Prices of daily newspapers in Croatia are three times larger, while the newspapers in Slovenia (which is leading the prices in the region) are even more expensive. The prices are also higher in Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(UNS, 26/04/ 2011)

Journalistic trade unions

The trade union and journalists of the weekly magazine Svetlost from Novi Sad, who have been striking for 65 days demanding payment of unpaid salaries and contributions for social and disability insurance, delivered yesterday an open letter to the President of the Government, Mirko Cvetkovic, the Minister of Culture and Information, and the Minister of Labor and Social Policy. In the letter, they ask for assistance and protection.
(Danas, Blic, Tanjug, B92, NUNS, UNS, 14/04/2011)

Republic Agency for Electronic Communications (RATEL)

The Agency for Electronic Communications of the Republic of Macedonia (AEK) and the Republic Agency for Electronic Communications of the Republic of Serbia (RATEL) signed on 31 March 2011 in Skoplje a Memorandum of Understanding in the area od electronic communications, with the aim to intensify mutual cooperation in exchange of information and experiences.
(RATEL, 14/04/2011)

The South and East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO)

The South and East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), has announced its planned events and activities for 2011:
- 21 April 2011: Deadline for submitting entries for the Beta News Agency Photograph of the Year Award and SEEMO Human Rights Photo Award.
- 16-20 May 2011: SEEMO Istanbul Media Days, Istanbul, Turkey.
- 19 May 2011: Presentation of the SEEMO Human Rights Photo Awards at the New Moment Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia.
- 25 May 2011: Deadline for submitting nominations for the 2011 Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO Award for Better Understanding.
- 26-27 May 2011: Workshop on Public Relations and Media, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- 27-30 June 2011: II South, East and Central Europe Investigative Journalism Days, Belgrade, Serbia.
- 5-9 September 2011: SEEMO Press Freedom Mission to Montenegro.
-1 September 2011: Deadline for submitting nominations for the 2011 Central European Initiative (CEI) - SEEMO Award for Investigative Journalism. Call for nominations starts in June.
- 10-14 October 2011: SEEMO Regional Conference on Media, Gender and Minorities, Tirana, Albania.
- 28 October 2011: Presentation of the 2011 Dr. Erhard Busek SEEMO 2011 Award for Better Understanding. The ceremony takes place in Vienna, Austria.
- 10-11 November 2011: V South East Europe Media Forum (SEEMF). Location to be announced. Presentation of the 2011 CEI- SEEMO Investigative Journalism Award.
- 20-22 November 2011: SEEMO Press Freedom Mission to Kosovo.
- 24-25 November 2011: News Agencies, New and Old Media in South East and Central Europe, SEEMO regional conference, Pristina, Kosovo.
- 5-9 December 2011: SEEMO Press Freedom Mission to Serbia.
- 10 December 2011: Presentation of the SEEMO Human Rights Award.
(SEEMO/IPI 14/04/2011)

The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA)

The Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) has appointed new members of the Public Broadcaster of Serbia and the Public Broadcaster of Vojvodina.
(RRA, 18/04/2011)

A critical analysis of the performance of RTS conducted by the Council of the RRA is available on the RRA web site: "Radio Television Serbia – fulfillment of legal and programmatic obligations"
(RRA, 18/04/2011)

Issue no 2
April 14-27, 2011