The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS)

This month, the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia has introduced free legal representation in courts as a new legal service for its members.
(Pravda, 23.06.2011)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) is concerned because of the tendency to spend an increasing amount of money from the Republic and municipal budgets to provide financing of operations of media outlets owned by the state, instead of providing funds for programs that are in public interest. Only in the last year, according to the Ministry of Culture, the national budget provided 216,715,000 dinars for the Tanjug agency, 28,800,000 dinars for the Panorama company in Pristina, 122,048,000 dinars for Radio Yugoslavia, and 10,803,000 dinars for Jugoslovenski Pregled. At the same time, 115,936,000 dinars was allocated to support for media projects i.e. programs that are in public interest. A sum of 40,871,771 dinars was spent for co-financing of print media outlets in minority languages and co-financing of projects related to informing in minority languages, which is also in public interest.
(NUNS, 28.06.2011)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) considers that the taxpayers' money in the media sphere should be spent in a way that would benefit all citizens, instead of financing business operations of public companies whose editorial policy can be controlled by the ruling political structures. NUNS calls on the government to demonstrate its willingness to relinquish direct control over the media and to create equal conditions for all participants in the market.
(NUNS, 28.06.2011)

At its regular annual assembly, a report on activities of the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) during the period May 2010-May 2011 emphasized the continued worsening of the professional and economic position of the media and media workers in Serbia. This trend became dramatic by the end of 2010 and especially in the first half of the year. The brutal social and economic reality has forced NUNS to deal with social and union issues, while relying on its modest financial and personnel resources. (More details are available at the web site www.nuns.rs)
(NUNS, MC, 30.06.2011)

Journalistic trade unions

Journalists' Union of Serbia estimated yesterday that the provisions of the working draft of the Law on Strike that forbid striking on streets and threaten workers with dismissal from work if they violate the ban are restrictive and antidemocratic. The Journalists' Union is of the opinion that the Law on Strike is unneeded and that all labor-related issues are regulated by the Law on Labor. At the same time, the Union pointed out that it had not been included in the preparation of the media strategy despite its official request to the Ministry of Culture. The Union said that the media strategy does not deal with the status of media employees, which is extremely difficult.
(Beta, Politika, 26.06.2011)

The Journalists' Union of Serbia presented numerous criticisms of the Draft Media Strategy at its assembly's session, mostly related to the fact that the document does not deal with the status of media employees although it is clear that unprotected journalists cannot serve the public interest. The Journalists' Union demands that the Media Strategy establish the obligation to form a representative organization of employers, to initiate social dialog, and to conclude an industry-wide collective contract.
(Blic, 26.06.2011)

The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA)

Taking into account the reporting of Radio-Television Serbia about alleged media connection between TV Prva and TV B92, the Council of the Republic Broadcasting Agency has established – on the basis of submitted documentation and information received from the Business Register Agency – that there exists no ownership-related connection. If the RTS has access to different information, the Council of the RRA calls on RTS to submit it to the RRA and other relevant state institutions. B. Cvijic
(Danas, 30.06.2011)

The Republic Agency for Telecommunication (RATEL)

SBB has informed its users that it has stopped broadcasting the programme of TV Nova. The management of TV Nova d.d. from Zagreb has made a decision to forbid rebroadcasting of its programme via satellite and cable distribution networks outside the territory of the Republic of Croatia.
(Politika, UNS, 29.06.2011)

SEEMO

SEEMO Announces that the 2nd South, Central and East Europe Investigative Journalism Days will take place in Belgrade, Serbia, from 27 to 29 June 2011, and will focus on corruption. The Conference will cover a variety of topics related to investigating corruption, personal security, reporting on extremist politicians - as well as a training session. Speakers include prominent international journalists and media experts who have firsthand experience in investigative reporting, both on the international and local level.
(SEEMO, 27.06.2011)

Issue No. 6
24 June – 06 July 2011

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