Opposition MPs come down on media

The Serbian parliament completed the initial debate on changes to the Broadcasting Law and named one member to the Broadcasting Agency’s council. Opposition parties used the debate on Wednesday to level severe criticism at the media in Serbia. Opposition MPs come down on media The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) has called for the law not to be adopted, because it gives the authority to the parliamentary Culture and Information Committee to select candidates for the council of its own accord, if more persons show interest for one position. The opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) insisted that the ruling Democrats (DS) control B92. "The basic media organ of DS and the ruling coalition, taking into consideration the founder, how many shares Americans own—38.7 percent—that companies from New York, such as MDLF, are on the list of founders, in Soros’ ownership, and when we look on behalf of whose goals, on who’s orders and based on whose finances used for its functioning, it is clear that B92 is an organ of the DS,” SRS MP Milan Avramovic said. Opposition also unanimously insisted that Aleksandar Tijanic must step down from heading the state broadcaster RTS. “We have no public service. We have something called RTS and I can agree with the managing board, which at the time selected whom it selected as the director of something that should be a public service, was of course wrong, but that doesn’t mean this cannot be fixed,” Zoran Sami of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) said. “He is the golden goose for everything. Whoever is in power goes to Sasa," opposition New Serbia (NS) leader said of Tijanic. "Think about how someone with a high school education can lead a public service, but he puts up that ‘For a European Serbia’ in the evening, so maybe someone could even reward him." Zeljko Mitrovic was criticized by New Serbia for his part ownership of TV Avala, but mostly for his main media outlet, Pink. “The situation is similar with other media of a commercial character, where we can watch politicians in reality shows, sado-masochistic shows like ‘Moment of Truth,’ exhibitionist and swinger promotion like ‘Changing Wives,’ or ‘Look at Mom, Pick the Daughter,’ cartoons in which children can hear the following threat—‘if you are not good I will send you back to Serbia,’” New Serbia official Aleksandra Jankovic said. The Radicals also accused Belgrade Mayor Dragan Djilas, DS, and Srdjan Saper of holding a monopoly over the media and participation in the financial machination. The Radicals said that Djilas is one of the richest people in Serbia and that he owns at least 16 companies that have something to do with the media.

Opposition MPs come down on media

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) has called for the law not to be adopted, because it gives the authority to the parliamentary Culture and Information Committee to select candidates for the council of its own accord, if more persons show interest for one position.

The opposition Serb Radical Party (SRS) insisted that the ruling Democrats (DS) control B92.

"The basic media organ of DS and the ruling coalition, taking into consideration the founder, how many shares Americans own—38.7 percent—that companies from New York, such as MDLF, are on the list of founders, in Soros’ ownership, and when we look on behalf of whose goals, on who’s orders and based on whose finances used for its functioning, it is clear that B92 is an organ of the DS,” SRS MP Milan Avramović said.

Opposition also unanimously insisted that Aleksandar Tijanić must step down from heading the state broadcaster RTS.

“We have no public service. We have something called RTS and I can agree with the managing board, which at the time selected whom it selected as the director of something that should be a public service, was of course wrong, but that doesn’t mean this cannot be fixed,” Zoran Šami of the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) said.

“He is the golden goose for everything. Whoever is in power goes to Saša," opposition New Serbia (NS) leader said of Tijanić. "Think about how someone with a high school education can lead a public service, but he puts up that ‘For a European Serbia’ in the evening, so maybe someone could even reward him."

Željko Mitrović was criticized by New Serbia for his part ownership of TV Avala, but mostly for his main media outlet, Pink.

“The situation is similar with other media of a commercial character, where we can watch politicians in reality shows, sado-masochistic shows like ‘Moment of Truth,’ exhibitionist and swinger promotion like ‘Changing Wives,’ or ‘Look at Mom, Pick the Daughter,’ cartoons in which children can hear the following threat—‘if you are not good I will send you back to Serbia,’” New Serbia official Aleksandra Janković said.

The Radicals also accused Belgrade Mayor Dragan Đilas, DS, and Srđan Šaper of holding a monopoly over the media and participation in the financial machination.

The Radicals said that Đilas is one of the richest people in Serbia and that he owns at least 16 companies that have something to do with the media.