Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP Nebojsa Bakarec accused United Group co-owner Dragan Solak of heading the opposition which is demanding the dismissal of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM).

Bakarec said that the Serbia Against Violence protests showed clearly that the opposition is demanding the dismissal of the REM “because it wouldn’t give a national frequency license to protest and opposition chief tycoon Solak”.

He said the authorities have objections to “the Luxembourg media broadcasting in Serbia that do not fall within the competencies of the REM or anyone else”.

“United Group brutally violates the laws on electronic media and advertising and has inflicted huge damages on Serbia over the years. To avoid the jurisdiction of the Serbian regulator they falsely present themselves as cross-border TV to avoid their obligations. Those channels are not cross-border, nor are they domestic and they do not have permits from the regulator, they don’t even pay fees to copyright organizations. Those unregulated media, those pirate media, have been advocating hatred and violence for nine years through the N1 and Nova TV stations,” Bakarec said.

According to him N1 and Nova “most often target the president and his family while the state budget loses hundreds of millions of Euro”.

“I suggest that the Information Minister, REM and RATEL (Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services) investigate whether the United Group and United Media cable channels are registered in line with the law, whether they violate laws and other regulations and whether they really broadcast or re-broadcast from Serbia or Luxembourg. I am asking those three institutions to inform parliament which has jurisdiction over REM and RATEL and inform the Serbian government,” Bakarec said.