December 2, 2024
Almost four months after the expiry of the legal deadline, the Serbian National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Information has announced a call for candidates to become members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media.
This body responsible for decision-making with regard to electronic media hasn’t existed since 5th November, after which the terms of previous members expired, in accordance with the new Law on Electronic Media.
The Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation and associations of independent journalists of Serbia and Vojvodina, as well as organisation CRTA, jointly filed a criminal complaint against Committee President Nevena Đurić over her illegal failure to ensure the timely launch of procedures to elect a new REM Council.
CRTA has also sought the establishing of accountability for the previous REM Council’s president and members over their constant violations of law in regulating the media sphere, without which “it is impossible to expect the new composition of the Council to make essential changes”.
The election of REM Council members is part of a recommendations of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), which Serbia has committed to implementing.
