Representatives of civil society organisations – Media Centre, Montenegrin Media Institute (MMI), Centre for Civic Education (CCE), Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG), Association of Professional Journalists, Ul Info, Bijelo Polje Democratic Centre, NGO Multimedial, and Centre for Feminist Culture NOVA – have addressed an appeal to the Head of the Delegation of the European Union, Johan Satler, calling for EU engagement in relation to the implementation of media laws and the appointment of members of the Council of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (AMU) and the Council of RTCG.
Civil society organisations active in the media sector called on officials of the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) to remind Montenegrin authorities of their obligations, including the possibility of re-opening Chapter 10 (Information Society and Media) should the Parliament of Montenegro continue to delay the implementation of media laws and fail to appoint members of the AMU Council and the RTCG Council without further delay.
NGO representatives informed the Head of the EU Delegation that a request had recently been sent to the Speaker of the Parliament of Montenegro to publish public calls for the appointment of one member of the AMU Council and four members of the RTCG Council, in order to ensure the full implementation of the Law on Audiovisual Media Services and the Law on the National Public Broadcaster – Public Service Broadcaster of Montenegro.
In accordance with the Law on Audiovisual Media Services (Article 153), the Speaker of the Parliament was obliged to initiate a public call for the election of one member of the Agency’s Council in December 2025. Furthermore, pursuant to Article 27 of the Law on the National Public Broadcaster, the public call for the election of four members of the RTCG Council should have been published no later than 15 February 2026.
NGO representatives called on the EU Delegation in Montenegro to use the upcoming visit of Commissioner Marta Kos to emphasise to Montenegrin officials that, following several months of delay in fulfilling these legal obligations, public calls for the appointment of members of these two councils must be published without further postponement. This is necessary to enable the proper implementation of media laws and to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the key governing bodies of RTCG and AMU.
We recall that the Speaker of the Parliament is obliged to invite the Bar Association to nominate a candidate for membership in the Council of the Agency for AVMS. In addition, the Speaker of the Parliament should, without delay, publish a public call for the appointment of four members of the RTCG Council, to be nominated by:
- the Chamber of Economy of Montenegro and the employers’ association represented in the Social Council (one member);
- non-governmental organisations in the field of media, excluding associations of broadcasters (one member);
- non-governmental organisations working on the protection of human rights and freedoms, including those focused on equality, environmental protection, consumer rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, education and social protection (one member);
- the Montenegrin Olympic Committee and the Paralympic Committee (one member).
It is expected that the engagement of EU representatives will contribute to the timely and full implementation of media laws in Montenegro.
Media Centre
Montenegrin Media Institute (MMI)
Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Centre for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro (CIN-CG)
Association of Professional Journalists
Ul Info
Bijelo Polje Democratic Centre
NGO Multimedial
Centre for Feminist Culture NOVA