The Media Center called on the MKM to put three media laws on public debate

The Media Center called on the Ministry of Culture and Media to finally put the three media laws on public debate and continue the process of improving regulation in the field of media, which, as stated, is taking an unreasonably long time.

In the statement signed by the director of the Media Center, Goran Đurović, it is added that in order for the three media laws to be sent to the Parliament for decision, it is necessary to conduct a public discussion in order to give the professional and lay public the opportunity to offer suggestions and contribute to improving the quality of these regulations.

"Amendments to the Law on Media envisage improving the position of journalists, increasing the Fund for Media Pluralism, in order to improve the information of citizens, and improving the framework for suppressing hate speech," says Đurović.

The adoption of the law on audiovisual media services, as he states, is intended to improve the independence of the council (the key management body) in the media market regulator, and increase the scope of situations that represent a conflict of interest among the members of the regulator's council.

"But also the connection between the members of the regulatory council and the council of public broadcasters, improving the financial and editorial independence and work of local public broadcasters, better protection against unprofessional content of broadcasters from neighboring countries, improving the control role of the regulator of the electronic media market, increasing the minimum percentage of own production of electronic media for better informing the public," the announcement reads.

He believes that "the amendments to the Law on RTCG envisage increasing the independence of the council of the public media service and reducing inappropriate party influence on the selection of members of this key management body, increasing the criteria for the members of the council in terms of their professional capacities, the transparency of the work of the RTCG, improving the criteria for the selection of the general director , improves the responsibility of the general director and directors of organizational units, improves the position of the ombudsman in charge of complaints from listeners and viewers".

"We remind you that the government of Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapić had in its work program the amendment of the media laws, but due to the inaction of the previous ministry, the deadline for adopting these regulations was exceeded by a year. The new government also included in the work plan the amendment of the media laws and planned that in the third quarter completes the process of drafting proposals for three media laws. The work of the working group for the preparation of media laws lasted for months, and after a detailed consideration of the shortcomings and proposals for improvement in the regulation, the ministry was obliged to finalize the working versions of the three media laws and submit them for public discussion. the group for drafting media laws stopped working two months ago," says Đurović.

He adds that changes to media laws are part of the process of European integration of Montenegro.

"Negotiation chapters that deal with media policy issues are chapters 10 - Information society and media and 23 - Judiciary and fundamental rights. If the current government wants to do what is possible to speed up the EU accession process, then it should speed up the process of adopting media laws. The Ministry of Culture and Media and the Government must not avoid their obligations because of a vote of no confidence in them. The existing Government is in full mandate to exercise all its constitutional powers until a new one is elected. Final decisions are certainly made in the Assembly, so the question is the legitimacy of the law undisputed. It would be irresponsible for the Government to process some other legal texts before the Parliament (eg the law on confiscation of illegally acquired property) without conducting a public debate and submitting media laws to the Parliament," the statement concludes.