National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Wednesday, 18 March 2015
21st Sitting of the Culture and Information Committee
At the sitting held on 18 March, the members of the Culture and Information Committee reviewed the Report on the ownership structure and control of the media in Serbia, compiled by the Anti-Corruption Council.
Opening the sitting, Culture and Information Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic emphasised the importance of the topic of ownership structure and control of the media in Serbia in view of the announced opening of EU negotiation chapters relating to the media and media freedom. Marjanovic reminded that EU standards demand a transparent media ownership structure, adding that the National Assembly plays a key role in controlling the implementation of the set of media laws passed in August 2014.
Vice-President of the Anti-Corruption Council Miroslav Milicevic said that, compared to the situation in the media in 2011, the balance of power on Serbia’s political scene has shifted drastically which had a direct impact on staff changes in almost all executive power institutions and in most of the media. The Council’s Report says that the Serbian Government had taken specific steps to start implementing the 2011 Media Strategy and improve the legal framework necessary to ensure the functioning of the media according to EU standards. The adoption of the set of media laws in August 2014 was a significant step forward.
In the Report, the Council identifies and lists five systemic problems that have been affecting the public information system in the Republic of Serbia for years – lack of transparency as regards media ownership and funding, economic influence through the budget, tax incentives and other indirect types of financing from public funds, media privatization and the precarious status of public services, censorship, anticensorship and tabloidization.
At the end of the Report, the Council formulated 24 recommendations for the improvement of the media environment in Serbia which were sent to the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The Council expects the Government to order the state institutions to examine the claims made in the Report and act accordingly.
The sitting was attended by Minister of Culture and Media Ivan Tasovac who said that an open debate on the situation in the media is invaluable and the Ministry would take part in any debate of that kind. Commenting on the claims made in the Report that there is no transparent register of the media ownership structure at the Business Registers Agency, Minister Tasovac said that none or the unregistered media would be able apply for co-financing.
The participants of the sitting also discussed the perception of censorship in society, degree of media freedom, media founders from offshore zones and tabloidization of the media.
The sitting was attended by the President of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media Goran Karadzic.
Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic said that the Committee would vote on the Conclusion Proposal at the next sitting.
The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic.
Vice-President of the Anti-Corruption Council Miroslav Milicevic said that, compared to the situation in the media in 2011, the balance of power on Serbia’s political scene has shifted drastically which had a direct impact on staff changes in almost all executive power institutions and in most of the media. The Council’s Report says that the Serbian Government had taken specific steps to start implementing the 2011 Media Strategy and improve the legal framework necessary to ensure the functioning of the media according to EU standards. The adoption of the set of media laws in August 2014 was a significant step forward.
In the Report, the Council identifies and lists five systemic problems that have been affecting the public information system in the Republic of Serbia for years – lack of transparency as regards media ownership and funding, economic influence through the budget, tax incentives and other indirect types of financing from public funds, media privatization and the precarious status of public services, censorship, anticensorship and tabloidization.
At the end of the Report, the Council formulated 24 recommendations for the improvement of the media environment in Serbia which were sent to the Government of the Republic of Serbia. The Council expects the Government to order the state institutions to examine the claims made in the Report and act accordingly.
The sitting was attended by Minister of Culture and Media Ivan Tasovac who said that an open debate on the situation in the media is invaluable and the Ministry would take part in any debate of that kind. Commenting on the claims made in the Report that there is no transparent register of the media ownership structure at the Business Registers Agency, Minister Tasovac said that none or the unregistered media would be able apply for co-financing.
The participants of the sitting also discussed the perception of censorship in society, degree of media freedom, media founders from offshore zones and tabloidization of the media.
The sitting was attended by the President of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media Goran Karadzic.
Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic said that the Committee would vote on the Conclusion Proposal at the next sitting.
The sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Vesna Marjanovic.