OSCE Media Freedom Representative Désir, Head of OSCE Mission to Montenegro Daviet present legal reviews on draft media and public broadcaster laws
VIENNA / PODGORICA, 21 November 2018 – Two legal reviews of Montenegro’s draft Law on media and draft Law on amendments to the Law on the national public broadcaster RTCG, were presented by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Harlem Désir, and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro, Maryse Daviet. The legal reviews were commissioned upon the request of Montenegro’s Ministry of Culture.
The legal reviews were prepared by Davor Glavaš, an experienced media expert with extensive knowledge about the Montenegrin legislative framework.
The main points highlighted in the review on the draft Law on media include, among other things, the need to establish a fund to support media pluralism, the necessity to elaborate on the criteria for awarding financial support to media, as well as the implementation of provisions on the transparency of ownership.
Regarding the draft Law on amendments to the Law on the national public broadcaster RTCG, the expert’s recommendations include the need to replace the “cascade” model with a “dual governing” model which would include the Council and the Supervisory Board, and for the Director General to be appointed by a qualified majority in the country’s parliament.
In Podgorica, Ambassador Daviet presented the two legal reviews to the Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović.
Désir and Daviet confirmed their readiness to continue assisting and supporting local authorities on any media-related issues including changes to legislation.
The legal reviews can be found here:
https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/403646; https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/403652; https://www.osce.org/me/representative-on-freedom-of-media/403655; https://www.osce.org/me/representative-on-freedom-of-media/403658
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. He provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, twitter @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.