OSCE, press freedom institutes visit Serbia to discuss media situation
BELGRADE, 3 December 2009 - A three-day visit focusing on the media situation in Serbia by delegates from the office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, the South East Europe Media Organization (SEEMO), and the International Press Institute ended in Belgrade today.
During the visit the delegation met Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic and Culture Minister Nebojsa Bradic, along with other government officials, representatives of journalists' and publishers' associations and media professionals.
"This visit represents a valuable source of information for the assessment of media rights and freedoms in Serbia. Some of the topics that were discussed included aspects of the Law on Public Information, as well as the unsolved murders of journalists," said Dragana Nikolic Solomon,the head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia`s Media Department, which supported the visit.
Oliver Vujovic, the SEEMO Secretary General, said: "Journalism which is free of political influences and which encourages investigative reporting and devotes significant attention to minority and diversity issues would expedite the process of democratization in Serbia. Thanks to the assistance of the OSCE we were able to learn about both the positive and negative aspects of the current situation in the Serbian media."
The OSCE Mission to Serbia, in line with its mandate, supports the development of professional media in Serbia which can impartially and accurately inform citizens on all issues of public relevance.