Nikolić submitted her candidacy for member of the RTCG Council

Director of the Media Institute Olivera Nikolić submitted her candidacy for a member of the Council of Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG) from among non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the field of media.

Nikolić, in a statement to the media, stated that she expects the President of the Administrative Committee and members of that parliamentary body, as well as the MPs, to conduct the procedure consistently in accordance with the law and restore trust in the process, which was seriously compromised in the previous cycle.

Nikolić said that her candidacy was supported by the Media Center, the Center for Investigative Journalism, the Network for the Affirmation of the Non-Governmental Sector, the Center for Democratic Transition, the Media Council for Self-Regulation, the NGO 35mm, the Center of the North, and UL-info.

"I see their support as an obligation to contribute with my professional experience and knowledge to a more responsible Public Service and a stronger control role of the Council," said Nikolić.

According to her, the special responsibility now lies with the Administrative Committee to thoroughly check each candidacy and supporting documentation and to apply the same legal criteria to everyone.

"I am warning about this because of the experience from the previous cycle. The documentation was not thoroughly checked then, the requests and submitted evidence of irregularities did not lead to the establishment of a new list, and the law was violated in the voting process itself in the Parliament," Nikolić stated.

She said that MPs voted individually on the candidates, even though the Law on RTCG explicitly stipulates that the Parliament decides on the proposed list of candidates as a whole.

"This is not just a question of a controversial interpretation of the procedure, but of acting contrary to the law and violating the norm that protects the Public Service from political influence in its work," Nikolić pointed out.

Due to such voting, Nikolić initiated proceedings before the competent court.

"These irregularities directly reflected my previous candidacy. After Veselin Drljević's withdrawal of candidacy due to a final judgment, I remained the only candidate from the media field who met the legal requirements and had the support of qualified authorized proposers, but the Administrative Board did not establish a new list that was in line with the law," said Nikolić.

That's why, as she added, for her this is not a matter of personal dissatisfaction or a fight for office.

"It is about whether the members of the RTCG Council will be elected in a legal and transparent procedure, or whether the law will be adjusted again to a politically desirable outcome," said Nikolić.

She said that RTCG must be a public good, not political prey.

"I expect from the Administrative Board and the Assembly what should be undisputed in a state governed by the rule of law - that they respect the law," Nikolić concluded.