Minister: Digitization could be completed ahead of deadline
The digitization of the TV signal in Serbia could be completed by the end of this year, although the official deadline is June 15, 2015, Rasim Ljajić has said.
Thursday, 09.01.2014.
16:17
BELGRADE The digitization of the TV signal in Serbia could be completed by the end of this year, although the official deadline is June 15, 2015, Rasim Ljajic has said. Serbia's minister of foreign and internal trade and telecommunications told the Beta news agency that he expected that two laws would be passed in the first half of this year, that are in the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture. Minister: Digitization could be completed ahead of deadline These bills have already entered the public debate and will provide a legal basis for accelerated digitization, he explained. Ljajic said that talks were being held with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about securing a favorable loan to complete the process. "It is good that instead of the predicted EUR 70 million for the digitization process, the figure has now been reduced to 35 million. We are trying to reduce it further, and believe that we can complete the process with even less funds," he said. According to the minister, the benefits for the citizens will include higher video and sound quality, and access to services to be provided by operators, while the state will be able to, through the "digital dividend," reach substantial financial resources. Ljajic also stated that the process was severely compromised because there were no free frequencies, but that it was "unblocked" when TV Avala's frequency was given in order for the work to be finished. "The process would certainly have been much more difficult, and it's uncertain if we would meet the deadlines, had it (the frequency) not been freed up. Now we have increased the initial network and the digital signal through that network has covered (with the test signal) an area that includes about 75 percent of the population of Serbia," he said. (Tanjug, file) Beta
Minister: Digitization could be completed ahead of deadline
These bills have already entered the public debate and will provide a legal basis for accelerated digitization, he explained.Ljajić said that talks were being held with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development about securing a favorable loan to complete the process.
"It is good that instead of the predicted EUR 70 million for the digitization process, the figure has now been reduced to 35 million. We are trying to reduce it further, and believe that we can complete the process with even less funds," he said.
According to the minister, the benefits for the citizens will include higher video and sound quality, and access to services to be provided by operators, while the state will be able to, through the "digital dividend," reach substantial financial resources.
Ljajić also stated that the process was severely compromised because there were no free frequencies, but that it was "unblocked" when TV Avala's frequency was given in order for the work to be finished.
"The process would certainly have been much more difficult, and it's uncertain if we would meet the deadlines, had it (the frequency) not been freed up. Now we have increased the initial network and the digital signal through that network has covered (with the test signal) an area that includes about 75 percent of the population of Serbia," he said.
Komentari 0