October 31, 2017
Of the almost 74 million dinars (over 600,000 euros) that the City of Belgrade has distributed to the media this year in contests for financing media projects, most of the money was allocated to media companies close to the authorities or newly established companies.
Almost a third of the money was received by Belgrade-based pro-government television company Studio B and two associated companies, while millions were also received by pro-government tabloids Alo, Informer and Srpski Telegraf, but also the Association of Rock Musicians, a music company and two companies only registered after the contest was announced.
Media companies considered as being critical, or which are engaged in investigating corruption, did not receive anything, while some people concluded that “money was received according to a familiar recipe by media companies close to the authorities”.
The Association of Journalists of Serbia, the country’s largest journalists’ association, considers that the money is being misused and appeal for the contest to be cancelled and for the members of the committee who decided on the allocation of funds to be held accountable.
Despite the dissatisfaction of part of the media public, this did not happen, while the committee members refused to explain their decisions.
