Minister pens scathing open letter to state TV director

Minister pens scathing open letter to state TV director

The minister, who has had strong words for Bujosevic in the past, stressed that "we have the democratic tragedy, excuse me - tradition, to thank for the Bujosevic case."

"When he doesn't know what to do, and how, he scurries to the public. And then whines that the prime minister himself should secure the financing of RTS and collection of the tax," Tasovac said.

He then asked "why any director should do their job - Putevi (Roads of Serbia) director could ask the prime minister to sit in the tollbooth, while a supermarket director could ask him to sit at the cash register."

"It's tough, it requires certain non-journalistic skills, lots of effort, readiness to solve problems... and Bujosevic clearly is not ready for that," the minister stated in his letter, adding that the RTS director might demonstrate his readiness if he showed the public the expenditure analysis that prompted the broadcaster's managing board to calculate that the TV tax should be precisely RSD 500 per month.

"And - would the tax be RSD 500 had the director made an effort to calculate how many surplus workers he has, or had he dealt with rationalization in the company itself, with new systematization, increased work efficiency, savings?"

Tasovac also asks why Bujosevic failed to inform citizens how tax income and expenditure would be separated from commercial sources, "so that it is known what the RSD 500 would be paid for."

"Why has he not at least opened an account for the tax collection? That was hard? It's easier for the prime minister to do it? Or for anyone else to do it, since the relevant ministry turned him down a long time ago and asked him to do his job, and stay within the boundary of the law which people from RTS and RTV took part in drafting," the letter said.

The minister remarked that it was easier for Bujosevic "to reveal to the public that Serbs are an impertinent nation, because Croats pay their TV fee of their own accord."

"Well what should the prime minister do now. Should he exchange Serbs for Croats, and save Bujosevic any effort? Personally, I'll suggest something else to him. Let's send Bujosevic to HRT (Croatian state broadcaster) and let them send the HRT director to us - since that one obviously knows how to do his job."

Tasovac also observed in his letter that according to valid legislation the state must exit the media, and that the electricity distribution company, EDB, "cannot be ordered to collect taxes" - but that Bujosevic "could find a solution through a contract with EPS (the state-owned power corporation)."

The minister also "apologized to Bujosevic for missing his address to the public, as he had to be in the national assembly" where he said he was "doing his job - something that Bujosevic should learn from."