OSCE media freedom representative meets Serbian Prime Minister, discusses media freedom issues

BELGRADE, 8 November 2013 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović met with Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić today to discuss the state of media freedom in the country.

Welcoming the government's commitment to free media, she stressed the need for continued investigation into the murders of Serbian journalists.

“I welcome that the government is fully supporting the national commission for investigation into the murders of journalists. There must be no impunity for crimes committed against journalists,” Mijatović said.

During her three-day visit to Belgrade, Mijatović discussed the implementation of the media strategy and the prompt adoption of key media laws. In her meetings with Prime Minister Dačić and Minister of Culture Ivan Tasovac Mijatović stressed that the laws on public information, public broadcasting and electronic media should be in line with international standards and the country’s OSCE commitments.

Mijatović also spoke at the ‘Freedom of Expression and Democracy in the Digital Age’ conference on November 7, organized by the Council of Europe and the Serbian Ministry of Culture and Information. 

“Governments have a key role in improving media freedom in their countries and in many countries the political will to turn existing commitments on media freedom and free expression into reality is missing,” Mijatović said during her speech. 

Mijatović's speech from the conference is available here: //www.osce.org/fom/108035