Serbian media organizations call for dismissal of minister

Those organizations said the dismissals are the only logical step because the outcome of the ministry media project competition and the way it was conducted run counter to the claims of the Serbian government that it is committed to resolving the many problems on the media scene.  

“Journalists’ and media associations feel that the dismissals of Minister Vladan Vukoslavljevic and State Secretary Aleksandar Gajovic is the only logical step for the Serbian government following the latest scandal which the Ministry of Culture and Information is responsible for,” according to a statement signed by the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), Independent Society of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) and Lokal Pres.

Those organizations said that the outcome of the Ministry media projects competition reflect what they said is the catastrophic practice of transferring co-financing from local to state level and expressed regret that their representatives were members of the commissions allocating co-financing funds.

Serbian media organizations have complained that funds from the ministry were allocated by unknown, alleged media experts and people who have compromised themselves by re-directing money to media which are close to the authorities.