Media Freedom Coalition reacts to PM Brnabic’s statement

“Following the statement by Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, in which she claims that it is not clear what objections the media community has regarding the drafts of the Law on Public Information and Media and the Law on Electronic Media, the Coalition for Media Freedom recalls that it participated in all processes of adopting media policies and media laws in Serbia, with the aim of contributing to a more favorable environment for the free work of journalists and the media,” a press release said.

It added that its positions were clear and were made public several times with detailed comments on the draft laws submitted during the public debate.

“Our positions during the participation in both Working Groups for drafting the Draft Amendments to the Law on Public Information and Media, as well as during the public debate on the Draft Law on Public Information and Media and the Law on Electronic Media, have not changed. Certain solutions in the proposals of these laws deviate from the Strategy for the Development of the Public Information System and as such represent a step back in relation to the agreement we reached when adopting the Strategy, the press release said.

The Coalition called the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications to reconsider its proposals on ways to improve the two draft laws, adding that it is prepared to look for solutions acceptable to everyone with ministry officials.