23. 04. 2014

ANEM IS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO A REPEATED PUBLIC CONTEST FOR MEDIA REPORTING ON THE CITY OF POZAREVAC

Belgrade, 23 April 2014 - The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) is strongly opposed to realization of the public contest for public information services - which has recently been announced by the mayor and the City Council of Pozarevac - due to the fact that is it completely in violation of the Strategy of Development of the Public Information System in the Republic of Serbia Until 2016 (The Media Strategy).

ANEM demands that the public contest be annulled and a new public contest be organized aimed at co-financing projects benefiting the public in the field of public information and in accordance with the criteria stipulated by the Media Strategy.

ANEM calls on the local self-government to end the practice of abusing the public acquisition process and violating the principle of solely project-based financing from the public funds established by the Media Strategy.

ANEM is of the opinion that it is unacceptable to treat reporting on issues that are of great interest to citizens at the local level as any other service, especially having in mind that the media field is a specific area with strong social implications that is organized on very specific principles.

The Media Strategy clearly and unequivocally stipulates that the public interest in the media is to be realized via co-financing of projects based on a unique methodology and taking into account all the regulations regarding the state assistance at all levels, including the Republic, Autonomous Provinces or Local Self-Government Units (cities and municipalities).

The public interest in the field of the media, among other things, includes production and publication of "general informative and specialized media content that is necessary for everyday life and work of citizens in local and regional communities". The criteria for selection of projects are related to the quality of content offered by the specific media outlets, while the projects are chosen by and independent committee comprised of competent representatives of the public, professional associations and sectors that are not financed from the state budget.

ANEM points out that it has been emphasized in previous EU reports that the flexible system of budget-based financing that has remained in force in several local self-governments constitutes a violation of equal treatment of all media outlets in the market and allows the so-called "soft censorship", which hinders the development of free and independent media.

ANEM has contacted the mayor of Pozarevac and demanded that the public contest be annulled and a new public contest organized that would be in accordance with the rules stipulated by the Media Strategy. ANEM has also informed the Ministry of Culture and Information about the arbitrary practice that is evident in the process of allocation of money to local-level media outlets.

ANEM President, Milorad Tadic