Centre for Civic Education (CCE) highlights that the European Commission’s (EC) 2024 report, published this week, clearly and unequivocally confirms that the RTCG, under its current leadership, and especially the repeated illegal appointment of Boris Raonić as General Director, represents a significant obstacle on Montenegro’s path to the EU. The legal chaos, orchestrated by the RTCG Council and other key institution members, is unprecedented in Montenegro, and it is noteworthy that Brussels has finally acknowledged this situation.
The unlawful and non-transparent operations of RTCG, coupled with its political alignment with the ruling structures, which benefit from this version of RTCG rather than a public broadcaster that critically examines issues, restricts citizens’ access to objective and impartial information. This also reinforces the irresponsibility of decision-makers, aware that RTCG is funded by all taxpayers will not scrutinize their work, to act with impunity.
Through this report, the EC effectively calls on relevant institutions to address the illegalities within RTCG and to process those involved. Moreover, one of the EC’s three recommendations for Montenegro concerning media freedom is solely directed at RTCG, strongly recommending safeguarding RTCG from any form of undue influence on its editorial, institutional, or financial independence. It stresses the need for full adherence to law and the highest standards of professional integrity and accountability. This means that improper political influences and breaches of legal and professional standards, long criticized by the critically oriented public in Montenegro, are now clearly recognized on the international level.
The CCE reminds, for years, we have witnessed the audacious moves by Raonić, his allies in the RTCG Council, RTCG’s legal department, and his lawyers, all supported by the authorities. Ironically, some of Raonić’s current defenders in the government, who previously opposed it, once promised that RTCG would never again be under government control!
This is why binding court rulings and the opinions of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption (APC) are valuable, as they attempt to set certain boundaries in ridiculing rights and citizens by interest-linked circles that, through their actions, undermine the legal and institutional order instead of fostering an environment where laws are respected and justice is impartially served.
Personal and party interests concerning Raonić and RTCG override the legal order and provoke EU institutions and member states, which seemingly care more about Montenegro’s EU accession than Montenegro’s own decision-makers.
The CCE maintains its stance that, despite the last-minute deceptive amendment of the National Public Broadcaster RTCG Law, Raonić cannot lead the RTCG. After all, binding court rulings have rendered those amendments meaningless and clarified that Raonić, even with his and his accomplices’ manipulations, does not meet the conditions required to hold the position he occupies.
Nikola Obradović, Programme Associate