Drljević also voted for himself: ASK found that the law was violated in the Bošković case

After the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption determined that the President of the Council of the Agency for Audiovisual Media Services (AMU) Branko Bošković violated the law by voting for his own choice, similar suspicions are now being raised in the case of the Council of Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG).

The president of that body, Veselin Drljević, was elected four years ago by the votes of seven members of the Council – including his own vote. This is confirmed by newspaper reports.

The then chairman Žarko Mirković abstained from voting, Bojan Baća did not attend the session, while the remaining seven members unanimously supported Drljević.

Media Center Director Goran Đurović believes that this is an illegal appointment.

"The President of the Council is a completely politically controlled figure who was also appointed to that position contrary to the law. ASK would have to make a similar decision either ex officio or based on an application or initiative that can be submitted by any member of the Council or RTCG employee," Đurović told Television Vijesti.

While waiting to see whether ASK will react in the case of the RTCG Council, the work of the AMU Council could be blocked as early as next week. Current president Branko Bošković announced his resignation, which was unofficially confirmed to "Vijesti" by several sources. He informed Vijesti that the session would be scheduled in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, but did not specify whether he would then formally resign as president of the Council.

"The information that I requested a Council session to discuss the new situation is correct. I believe that in the given circumstances, this is the most responsible way to proceed, in order to enable the smooth and credible work of the Council and the Agency," said Bošković.

If Bošković resigns, the Council will be left with only three members and without a president, which seriously questions its further functioning.

"This essentially means that council sessions cannot be scheduled, that is, that no one can sign acts or any decisions made by that body. No decision can be made based on complaints from legal entities, broadcasters, media, or citizens regarding the work of the Agency. An annual work plan needs to be adopted, a financial work plan needs to be adopted, and that simply cannot happen because none of the council's decisions can be made and cannot be legally valid because there is no one to sign it," said Đurović.

The possible blockage of the Council was mainly contributed to by the fact that the ruling majority in parliament has not elected the two missing members of that body through public competitions for more than a year, while the current mandates expire in April and June. The fourth competition of the Parliament for the two missing members of the Council is underway. The NGO sector is not giving up on the candidacy of Dragoljub Duško Vuković, although the president of the parliamentary Administrative Committee, Jelena Nedović, said at the beginning of the month that she believes that a compromise measure would be for the NGOs to propose another candidate.

"Whether they will accept to implement the law this time and comply with the recommendations of the European Commission or risk reopening Chapter Ten and blocking, conditionally speaking, our path towards the European Union next year, that is up to the majority MPs, or rather the leaders of the political parties that make up the majority," said Đurović.

The fact that the Parliament is avoiding these appointments was also noted by the European Commission in its latest report on non-compliance, warning that such a practice could have consequences for Chapter 10 in negotiations with the European Union.