Non-governmental organisations – Media Center, Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIN-CG), Human Rights Action (HRA), Montenegro Media Institute (MMI), Centre for Civic Education (CCE), Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro, Trade Union of Media of Montenegro, and Montenegrin P.E.N. Centre – today submitted information to the Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, regarding the obstruction of the implementation of the Law on Audiovisual Media Services in the Parliament of Montenegro and the blockade of the work of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services.
As the authorised proposers, we have provided detailed information to Sattler regarding the annulment of the public call for two members of the Agency’s Council by the President of the Parliament of Montenegro, Andrija Mandić, for which he has not yet provided a convincing argumentation.
We recall that the adoption of the Law on Audiovisual Media Services was one of the conditions for obtaining a positive IBAR assessment, as well as for the provisional closure of Chapter 10 – Information Society and Media. Since the second final benchmark under Chapter 10 relates to the functional and independent operation of the regulatory body for electronic media – the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services, it is clear that the actions of the President of the Parliament and the Administrative Committee pose a serious risk of reopening this chapter.
The President of Parliament and the Administrative Committee have continuously obstructed the implementation of this law, including the delays of nearly six months in announcing the public call and this annulment on the last day of the submission deadline, allegedly due to a “technical error that could have caused confusion.”
We further remind that two candidates from the non-governmental sector applied for the competition – Dragoljub Vuković, who had the support of 14 NGOs, and Nikola Vujanović, supported by one NGO. Additionally, the Montenegrin P.E.N. Centre nominated a representative for the second vacant position on the Council. So, there was no confusion, but rather a politically motivated obstruction, seemingly due to the fact that certain expected candidates failed to gain credible support and withdrew.
The direct consequence of such actions by the President of Parliament is that the Agency’s Council currently has only three out of five members, meaning that all must be present at every session and must make unanimous decisions for the Agency to function. Additionally, conducting a new appointment process for the two Council members will take at least two months, rendering the Agency non-functional during this period.
We have urger the Head of the EU Delegation to use his authority and remind the leadership of the Parliamet of Montenegro that the implementation of this law is part of the negotiation process and to support the efforts of NGOs to ensure the unhindered operation of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services.
Goran Đurović, Media Center
Milka Tadić Mijović, Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIN-CG)
Tea Gorjanc Prelević, Human Rights Action (HRA)
Olivera Nikolić, Montenegro Media Institute (MMI)
Daliborka Uljarević, Centre for Civic Education (CCE)
Mila Radulović, Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro
Radmir Kračković, Trade Union of Media of Montenegro
Adnan Čirgić, Montenegrin P.E.N. Centre