RTS chiefs trade blame, MPs call for dismissals

RTS Director General Dragan Bujosevic denied claims by Management Board Chairman Branislav Klanscek of mismanagement and payments for show production to RTS staff. Klanscek told the meeting that the RTS was not meeting its obligations under the law as a public broadcaster.

He added that the issue of conflicts of interest was raised by the board following reports that RTS staff had private companies which produced shows for the state TV. Bujosevic claimed that the shows would have cost much more if they had been produced in-house. He also said that the chairman was entitled to receive all information about the shows but that the data could not be made public because the production companies sealed it.

The public debate about the production of shows for the RTS by companies owned by RTS staff started with reports by the Pistaljka whistleblower investigative portal which gained access to management board documents in which the allegations were made. Klanscek confirmed that the documents were authentic.

Bujosevic also told the committee that the RTS gets 75 percent of its financing from a subscription tax and earns the remaining 25 percent. He also denied taking money.

Several opposition members of the committee called for the dismissal of Bujosevic and his news editor in chief Nenad Lj. Stefanovic.