NGOs demand dismissal of RTS chairman

Several human rights NGOs have demanded the dismissal of Radio Television Serbia (RTS) Chairman Aleksandar Tijanic. Those organizations today sent the Republic Broadcasting Agency (RRA) a complaint about RTS’s work and demanded the dismissal of its chairman. NGOs demand dismissal of RTS chairman The complaint and request signed by 10 NGOs also demanded the RRA issue RTS with an official warning. The request also states that corresponding legal proceedings should be launched against Tijanic, and that RTS should fire him as soon as possible. "Tijanic should face the legal consequences of his attempts to abuse his position as chairman and the public television service to promote the arguments of those convicted of the murder of the late Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic," the complaint reads. It is stressed that the criminal complaint Tijanic has filed against former Government Press Office Chief Vladimir Popovic and other unidentified government, police and security service officials, only served as the grounds for a “political pamphlet.” “Including the publication of that inarticulate pamphlet on the public service’s breaking news is classic abuse of authority on Tijanic’s part,” the request stresses, adding that criminal complaints must never become an instrument of political pressure. The request states that the accusations directed by Tijanic at Popovic and others are “a blatant repetition of what the defense said during the first instance proceedings before the special court in the Zoran Djindjic murder trial.” It adds that Tijanic’s actions are abuse of an institution funded by the taxpayer, and also cites legal regulations on the basis of which the RRA and the RTS board of directors should proceed. The complaint and demand have been sent to the president and members of the RRA and the president and members of the RTS board of directors by the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Belgrade Circle, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, the Center for Cultural Decontamination, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Women in Black, Civil Initiative and the Helsinki Council for Human Rights in Serbia. Aleksandar Tijanic (FoNet, archive)

NGOs demand dismissal of RTS chairman

The complaint and request signed by 10 NGOs also demanded the RRA issue RTS with an official warning.

The request also states that corresponding legal proceedings should be launched against Tijanić, and that RTS should fire him as soon as possible.

"Tijanić should face the legal consequences of his attempts to abuse his position as chairman and the public television service to promote the arguments of those convicted of the murder of the late Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić," the complaint reads.

It is stressed that the criminal complaint Tijanić has filed against former Government Press Office Chief Vladimir Popović and other unidentified government, police and security service officials, only served as the grounds for a “political pamphlet.”

“Including the publication of that inarticulate pamphlet on the public service’s breaking news is classic abuse of authority on Tijanić’s part,” the request stresses, adding that criminal complaints must never become an instrument of political pressure.

The request states that the accusations directed by Tijanić at Popović and others are “a blatant repetition of what the defense said during the first instance proceedings before the special court in the Zoran Đinđić murder trial.”

It adds that Tijanić’s actions are abuse of an institution funded by the taxpayer, and also cites legal regulations on the basis of which the RRA and the RTS board of directors should proceed.

The complaint and demand have been sent to the president and members of the RRA and the president and members of the RTS board of directors by the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, Belgrade Circle, the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, the Center for Cultural Decontamination, the Youth Initiative for Human Rights, Women in Black, Civil Initiative and the Helsinki Council for Human Rights in Serbia.