The elected members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković announced today that they are resigning from those positions because they refuse to be elected in a process that places politics above the law.
They state that they decided to address the public after the Parliament of Serbia did not elect all nine members of the Council, even though the complete list of candidates passed the legal procedure, public hearings, and received confirmation from the Committee for Culture and Information.
“With this act, the ruling majority has presented us with a fait accompli, a situation in which we are expected to participate in a process that has been essentially deprived of meaning. This sent a message that institutions can be filled selectively, according to the needs of the ruling parties, even when it is not in accordance with the law and established procedure,” they emphasized.
Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković pointed out that in such circumstances they believe that the only honorable and responsible step is to resign, because they refuse to be elected in a process that places politics above the law.
“Our participation in REM would only make sense if the Council were elected in full composition and if there was a possibility for the work to be done independently, professionally, and in the public interest. We want to be completely clear: this is not giving up the fight. On the contrary, this very situation shows why the fight was and remains necessary,” they emphasized.
The statement adds that, thanks to pressure from the public, independent organizations, the expert public, national councils, as well as a matured democratic consciousness in society, for the first time in many years there was real competition and the largest number of independent proposals.
“That is an achievement that remains and that no one can erase. The decision of the ruling majority today only confirmed how the government views institutions – as something that exists to serve personal needs, and not citizens and the public interest. This process also confirmed that there are a large number of people, organizations, movements, and political options in Serbia who know that Serbia can do better and are fighting for such a Serbia,” state the elected Council members.
They state that they entered the process honorably, ready to take responsibility and contribute with their work to a better REM and a better media scene in Serbia.
“Today we announce: we do not agree to political manipulations in order to ridicule the laws. The fight continues – for institutions, for the rule of law, for a society where decisions are made according to the law, and not according to political will,” the statement concludes.
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Source: N1, Photo: ATA Images