NGO Group: Parliament Finally Appoints Missing AMU Council Members, but Implementation of Media Laws Has Only Just Begun

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that supported the candidacy of Dragoljub Duško Vuković for a member of the Council of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services welcomed the decision of the Parliament of Montenegro to, as they say, finally implement the Law on Audiovisual Media Services and appoint the missing members of the Agency's Council from among NGOs (in the field of media), the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts (CANU) and universities.

"This decision represents a significant victory for civil society, professional standards and the principles of independence of regulatory bodies, but also a clear indication that perseverance and public pressure can counteract party arbitrariness," the group of NGOs said in a statement.

They recalled that this process could and should have been completed by early 2025.

"Instead, the parliamentary majority has systematically obstructed the implementation of the law for almost 15 months, trying first not to implement it, but also to amend the media laws in order to change the procedures to prevent NGOs from electing their own representatives on the Council, and to open up space for political parties to appoint loyal, so-called NGO representatives. At the beginning of the year, the parliamentary majority annulled the procedure for appointing members of the AVMU Council based on an initiative commissioned by the NGO LGBT Forum Progress. In the repeated procedure, the Administrative Committee, with fabricated procedural shortcomings in the documentation of the NGO and CANU candidates, annulled the procedure again. In the third attempt, at the plenary session of the Parliament, the deputies of the parliamentary majority abstained and thus once again blocked the implementation of the law," the statement states.

The gist was clear, they added, that candidates with integrity proposed by relevant civil society organizations and who meet the requirements prescribed by law should be eliminated from the process due to political inadequacy, even if this involves violating legal norms. An MP from the strongest ruling party, Jelena Nedović (PES), even openly said, at one stage, that the NGOs should change their candidate, the statement said.

"NGOs active in the media field did not agree to blackmail nor did they give up on their candidate, and Dragoljub Duško Vuković, thanks to that persistence, was appointed and given the opportunity to contribute with his knowledge, experience and integrity to the improvement of the work of the Agency for AVM Services. It is important to emphasize that the law was finally implemented solely thanks to pressure from NGOs and the European Commission. In its latest report for Montenegro, the European Commission clearly indicated the possibility of reopening the temporarily closed Chapter 10 if members of the Agency's Council are not appointed," the statement reads.

The Council of the Agency for AVM Services now finally has five members, as required by law, but this does not mean the end of complications, said the NGOs.

"The implementation of media laws has only just begun, and with a serious delay, and we are soon expected to elect two more new members of the AVM Council, as well as four members of the RTCG Council. We expect that in 2026 - the year in which Montenegro must demonstrate unquestionable commitment to European integration - the parliamentary majority will not continue the practice of obstruction and abuse of institutions, as it did in the previous period. We are telling the members of the Parliament of Montenegro that there is no reason to fear NGO representatives with integrity and knowledge. It is precisely such people who can contribute to the professionalization of regulatory bodies and strengthening public trust. Institutions that are under constant party control can never be professional, independent, or in the service of the public interest. This decision of the Parliament is a step forward, but also a reminder that basic democratic standards in Montenegro must continue to be defended - consistently, publicly, and in solidarity," the statement signed by:

Goran Đurović, Media Center

Olivera Nikolić, Media Institute of Montenegro (IMCG)

Daliborka Uljarević, Center for Civic Education (CCE)

Milka Tadić Mijović, Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN-CG)

Mila Radulović, Association of Professional Journalists of Montenegro

Mustafa Canka, NVO "Ul Info"

Zdravko Janjušević, Bijelo Polje Democratic Center

Željko Đukić, NGO Multimedia Montenegro

Nataša Nelević, NOVA – Center for Feminist Culture

Azra Hrapović, NGO Đakomo Adriatic

Boris Nedović, NGO Center of the North

Radomir Petrić, NVU Sua Sponte Bar