Media associations, OSCE on controversial law

Serbia's media associations remain adamant that the recently adopted Law on Information is bad. The OSCE mission in Serbia, meanwhile, say they have some objections, but do not wish to appraise this piece of legislation. Media associations, OSCE on controversial law A day before the amended law is to come into effect, a new debate on it is opening up. The bill was adopted on August 31 with some members of the ruling coalition abstaining from the vote. OSCE media office chief Dragana Solomon told B92 TV on Sunday night that this organizations has had some objections to the law, but would not describe it as being "good or bad". "OSCE in this case looks at the processes, and has not chosen to – this is not how we react, by standing up and saying 'pro' or 'con' – we have very clearly expressed our position that one of the main problems is that there was no public debate [on the draft law], the problem of registration of the media and the fear that high penalties would lead to a situation where the state will be shutting down the media, and that really is unacceptable practice," she said. However, Solomon added that it will be up to the European Commission experts to determine whether the law is "European", or "anti-European", as they submit their Progress Report in October. But Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) President Ljiljana Smajlovic says the law is oppressive and that it will lead to the shutting down of media outlets. Smajlovic was a guest on the same talk show and said a major problem with the bill is that it was brought overnight, and that it remains unclear who proposed it. "You aren't even allowed to say what you have witnessed with your own eyes. Should the law be applied unselectively, tomorrow you won't be able to say that the government is responsible for the economic crisis in the country, you won't even be able to say that you personally saw someone commit a crime, you cannot say that until they have their final verdict," she explained. "Can you operate in journalism by not being able to say that Ratko Mladic is responsible for the Srebrenica massacre? Well, that's impossible. I think that whoever wrote it did not consider these things, instead they wanted to catch someone whom they wanted punished and shut down. Had there been a public debate, everything would have cleared up, all that would have been dropped, because it is utter nonsense," Smajlovic concluded. Social-Democratic Union (SDU) leader Zarko Korac, who was elected to parliament on the opposition LDP ticket, was also on the show, to severely criticize the law. Unlike his colleagues from the LDP parliament club, he did not vote in favor of the bill on August 31. Korac said that the law was based on a "wrong concept", and that its essence is to punish and discipline the media, rather than to support the freedom of expression and informing of the public.

Media associations, OSCE on controversial law

A day before the amended law is to come into effect, a new debate on it is opening up. The bill was adopted on August 31 with some members of the ruling coalition abstaining from the vote.

OSCE media office chief Dragana Solomon told B92 TV on Sunday night that this organizations has had some objections to the law, but would not describe it as being "good or bad".

"OSCE in this case looks at the processes, and has not chosen to – this is not how we react, by standing up and saying 'pro' or 'con' – we have very clearly expressed our position that one of the main problems is that there was no public debate [on the draft law], the problem of registration of the media and the fear that high penalties would lead to a situation where the state will be shutting down the media, and that really is unacceptable practice," she said.

However, Solomon added that it will be up to the European Commission experts to determine whether the law is "European", or "anti-European", as they submit their Progress Report in October.

But Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) President Ljiljana Smajlović says the law is oppressive and that it will lead to the shutting down of media outlets.

Smajlović was a guest on the same talk show and said a major problem with the bill is that it was brought overnight, and that it remains unclear who proposed it.

"You aren't even allowed to say what you have witnessed with your own eyes. Should the law be applied unselectively, tomorrow you won't be able to say that the government is responsible for the economic crisis in the country, you won't even be able to say that you personally saw someone commit a crime, you cannot say that until they have their final verdict," she explained.

"Can you operate in journalism by not being able to say that Ratko Mladić is responsible for the Srebrenica massacre? Well, that's impossible. I think that whoever wrote it did not consider these things, instead they wanted to catch someone whom they wanted punished and shut down. Had there been a public debate, everything would have cleared up, all that would have been dropped, because it is utter nonsense," Smajlović concluded.

Social-Democratic Union (SDU) leader Žarko Korać, who was elected to parliament on the opposition LDP ticket, was also on the show, to severely criticize the law. Unlike his colleagues from the LDP parliament club, he did not vote in favor of the bill on August 31.

Korać said that the law was based on a "wrong concept", and that its essence is to punish and discipline the media, rather than to support the freedom of expression and informing of the public.