The non-governmental organizations that supported Dragoljub Duško Vuković for the Council of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services and Marijana Camović Veličković for the RTCG Council express serious concern that the majority in the Administrative Committee of the Parliament of Montenegro is preparing yet another obstruction of the media laws in regard to the final confirmation of NGO-nominated candidates.
In this context, we specifically point out the scheduling of a so-called consultative hearing for 24 July, even though such a procedure is not prescribed by law. We emphasize that NGOs active in the fields of media and human rights are not opposed to any procedure that increases transparency. However, a consultative hearing is not part of the procedure stipulated by the Law on the National Public Broadcaster and the Law on Audiovisual Media Services, as NGOs have duly nominated one representative each for both bodies, who must be confirmed given that they unequivocally meet the legal requirements (Montenegrin citizenship, residence, level VII education qualification, five years of relevant work experience, professional credentials, and no conflict of interest).
Namely, the legal procedure requires the Administrative Committee to verify the validity of the documentation submitted by organizations authorized to nominate candidates for the RTCG and AVM Councils (NGOs in the fields of media and human rights, the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts – CANU, the Montenegrin PEN Center, and trade unions). This documentation includes evidence that the candidates meet the legal requirements, as well as their statements confirming no conflict of interest.
On 10 July, the Administrative Committee established the list of complete and timely proposals for the members of both councils and confirmed that Dragoljub Duško Vuković’s candidacy was valid, supported by 9 NGOs in the media field that meet the legal requirements (registered at least three years before the public call, active in media, and with annual budgets over €3,000), and that he personally meets the criteria. Vuković is the sole NGO candidate for the AVM Council.
That same day, the Committee also established the list of complete and timely proposals for three members of the RTCG Council and confirmed that Marijana Camović Veličković got support by 25 NGOs in the fields of human rights, environment, and consumer protection (registered at least three years before the call, active in these fields, and with annual budgets over €3,000), and that she personally meets the legal requirements. Also, Camović Veličković is the only NGO candidate for the RTCG Council.
For the AVM Council, the call was issued for two members – one nominated by NGOs and the other jointly or separately by CANU and the PEN Centre. One application was received for the NGO seat and two for the other seat.
According to the law, the Administrative Committee should establish the candidate list for the RTCG Council with the three proposed candidates and the AVM Council list with one NGO representative and one representative of CANU or the PEN Centre. In the case of the RTCG Council, the law stipulates that only after the Committee establishes the proposed list, which is later confirmed by the Parliament in plenary, may present the candidates and publish their CVs. No consultative hearing is foreseen, nor for the AVM Council appointments.
The Administrative Committee has no legal authority to decide on candidates properly nominated by authorized organizations. The decision to complicate and delay the procedure with a consultative hearing raises serious doubts about the majority’s intentions.
The Administrative Committee has no legal authority to decide on candidates nominated by legally designated organizations, and in the case of appointing members to the Council of the Agency for AVM Services, the unnecessary complication and prolongation of a simple procedure through a consultative hearing raises doubts about the intentions of the majority in this Committee.
Should the law be violated and these NGO candidates rejected for the RTCG and AVM Councils, the responsibilitylies with the leaders of the majority: Milojko Spajić, Andrija Mandić, Aleksa Bečić, Ervin Ibrahimović, Nik Đeljošaj, and Vladimir Joković.
Such an outcome would damage Montenegro’s credibility in the EU integration process, jeopardize the closure of negotiation chapters, and could even reopen Chapter 10. We remind that the adoption and implementation of media laws was one of the condition for obtaining a positive IBAR and for the provisional closure of Chapter 10 – Information Society and Media.
Obstruction of implementation of media laws in the Parliament has already persisted for half a year, during which the public calls for the AVM Council were unlawfully annulled twice, while the call for the RTCG Council, instead of February, was published in May. The parliamentary majority even attempted to rush through amendments to the media laws to secure control over the RTCG and AVM Councils – a move thwarted thanks to the EU’s timely reaction.
We expect the Government of Montenegro, particularly the Ministry of Culture and Media and the Ministry of European Affairs, to take a clear stance on this issue, ensure compliance with the law, safeguard the integrity of the integration process, and protect the independence of key institutions in the media sector.
We stress that these obstructions are not about transparency but about narrowing the space for independent regulators and undermining the role of civil society in the democratization of the media system.
Goran Đurović, Media Center
Olivera Nikolić, Montenegrin Media Institute (MMI)
Daliborka Uljarević, Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Milka Tadić Mijović, Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)
Mila Radulović, Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro
Mustafa Canka, NGO “Ul Info”
Zdravko Janjušević, Bijelo Polje Democratic Center
Željko Đukić, NGO Multimedial Montenegro
Nataša Nelević, NOVA – Center for Feminist Culture
Slavica Striković, NGO Women’s Action
Nevenka Vuksanović, Center for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM)
Zlatko Vujović, Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI)
Jovan Ulićević, Association SPECTRA
Musluć Muamera, NGO Đakomo Adriatic
Boris Nedović, Center of the North NGO
Radomir Petrić, NVU Sua Sponte Bar
Zorana Marković, Center for Development of NGOs (CRNVO)
Marija Kalezić, Center for Civil Liberties (CEGAS)
Staša Baštrica, Montenegrin LGBTIQ Association – Queer Montenegro