OSCE CiO disappointed by outcome of Serbian Parliamentary vote on Broadcasting Agency Council

THE HAGUE, 16 July 2003 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, is disappointed by the results of yesterday's vote of the Serbian Parliament on the Broadcasting Agency Council.

"While I acknowledge the decision of the Serbian Parliament, I cannot help being disappointed by the fact that the Serbian Parliament voted in favour of keeping the three disputed Broadcasting Agency's Council Members in place. This decision does not correspond with the OSCE's position on the issue", said the Netherlands Chairman-in-Office.

He further explained that the OSCE would have preferred a repeat of the election procedure for the three disputed Council members and the two Council members who resigned, in conformity with the law.

The parliamentary vote reconfirmed the illegal appointment of three disputed members to the Broadcasting Council, which was not in line with legal procedure in the first place. The vote not only casts a shadow over the legitimacy of the Council, but is also contrary to the OSCE position, which is based on the legal criteria.

"I call on the responsible authorities to address and implement the much needed media reforms in the country, in order to strengthen the establishment of professional and objective media in Serbia," the CiO said.

The Minister also said that the OSCE, through its Mission in Serbia and Montenegro and the Representative on Freedom of the Media, is ready to continue to lend its advice to help reforms in the media field.

The Broadcasting Agency Council, first appointed on 11 April 2003 under the Serbian Law on Broadcasting, has an important function to carry out in deciding upon the allocation of national television frequencies.