September 16, 2021
The media and journalists’ associations participating in the working group tasked with writing amendments to the Law on Public Information and Media have issued a joint statement warning that a significant number of proposals that are being considered within the scope of that working group deviate from the Media Strategy and the general right to freedom of expression.
Responding to the statement, Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and Minister of Culture and Information Maja Gojković said that deviations from the Media Strategy are unacceptable.
The Media Strategy was adopted by the Government of Serbia at the beginning of this year and should remain valid until 2025. The media and journalists’ associations that issued the statement represent a minority in the working group, while the majority comprises representatives of the Serbian government and representatives of GONGO associations, so it comes across as unbelievable that the majority members of the working group would ignore the document that was adopted by the Serbian government. President of ANEM [the Association of Independent Electronic Media] Veran Matić believes that the problem is precisely GONGOs, which “with their proposals, but also the tolerance of the Ministry of Culture and Information, bring into question the key postulates of the Media Strategy”.
According to the associated Action Plan, the new Law on Public Information and Media should be adopted by the end of this year.
