The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) strongly condemns the hooligan attack on TV Sabac journalists and expects that the Primary Prosecutor's Office in Sabac to immediately launch criminal proceedings against the attacker, whose identity is known to the police. According to the report aired by TV Sabac, journalist Marija Damnjanovic and cameraman Zoran Milutinovic were attacked in Prnjavor yesterday afternoon by a local citizen, Rade K., while they were reporting from the Countryside Olympics.
(NUNS, 27.08.2012)

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) submitted to the Republic Public Prosecutor's Office a request for protection of legal order with regard to the verdict against journalist from Subotica, Laslo Sas. The legal representative of NUNS, the legal office Zivkovic-Samardzic, which is representing Laslo Sas, points out that the verdict of the Court of Appeals in Novi Sad, confirming the verdict made by the Primary Court in Subotica, violated the law in a way that is damaging to the interest of Laslo Sas. The motion was initiated as a part of the NUNS program of free legal assistance journalists and the media with support from organizations Civil Rights Defenders and the Media Legal Defence Initiative.
(NUNS, 27.08.2012)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS)

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS) condemns the statement made by the former secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Slobodan Homen. He called the journalists with the website Pistaljka "dogs". Responding to an article published on the website about a low-interest loan given by the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia given to his sister's company, Homen told the daily newspaper Informer that he intended to sue the journalists. Insults and threats with lawsuits because of published information constitutes an attempt to ban the freedom of speech and investigative journalism, says UNS.
(UNS, 28.08.2012)

Slobodan Homen says: "During my longtime cooperation with journalists I have never had any problems nor used any bad words. The word 'dogs' was not meant for journalists, but the mean-intentioned sources", reports Smedia.
(Smedia, UNS, 29.08.2012)

Journalistic trade unions

Several trade unions of employees in the newspapers Politika and Novosti demand that the Government immediately reveal who the real owners of these newspaper companies are. "The employees have the right to complete information about the legal, financial and social consequences to their position. The trade unions demand that the responsibility of the senior management of Politika and Novosti, who have received astronomical salaries, be investigated", says the joint announcement of the unions.
(Beta, NUNS, 21.08.2012)

The Joint Trade Union of the company Novosti rejected yesterday the claims made by four trade unions of Politika the Trade Union of Journalists of Novosti
(Vecernje novosti, 23.08.2012)

A new collective contract was signed yesterday in the company Novosti. The contract is more advantageous than the previous one, which had already been on of the most advantageous in the media industry. According to the new collective contract, the price of work is increased by 11 percent, while the annual leave can last for up to 30 days. The new contract comes into force on September 1.
(ASMEDI Newsletter, August 2012)

Dragana Cabarkapa, the president of the trade union of the journalists working at Novosti, says: "In their response to the statements made by highest officials in Serbia, four trade unions of Politika and the Trade Union of Novosti journalists demand that the Government of Serbia immediately reveal the identity of real owners of the newspaper companies Politika and Novosti as well as what measures the Government intends to take in order to prevent these companies' further ruination and financial disaster. The trade unions demand that accountability of the management of Politika and Novosti be investigated. The joint statement of the five presidents of trade unions was reported by most of the media, including Politika. Expectedly, Novosti did not. According to the report by the Monitoring Committee dated April 23, 2012, the accumulated losses exceed one billion dinars, which is 76 percent of the total value of assets.
(B92, Beta, UNS 27.08.2012)

The Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA)

The public contest for issuance of broadcasting licenses for regional and local areas was published on 20 August 2012 in daily newspapers Politika and Dnevnik.
(RRA, 20.08.2012)

The Government and the Parliament

Civil society organizations that are partners with the initiative "The Law Belongs to Us!" demand that the Government of the Republic of Serbia allow introduction of electronic public discussions about draft laws and general legal documents. The use of the Internet in public discussions would allow significantly larger participation of citizens in creation of laws and legal documents, leading to their higher quality, functionality and fairness. At the same time, the civil society organizations warn that adequate mechanisms of participation of the public in the process of adoption legal regulations have not been used in our country so far. The initiative "The Law Belongs to Us!" was launched in the last year and it is supported by state institutions and civil society organizations: The Educational Center, The Center for Advancement of Legal Studies (CUPS), the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), The Bureau for Social Research (BIRODI) and Sretenje. Additional information is available at the website www.zakonjenas.rs.
(NUNS, 28.08.2012)