Section of journalists' and media associations suspend dialogue with the Government of Serbia

Several media and journalists' associations, which comprise the Media Coalition, have announced the suspending of the dialogue with the Serbian Government's Coordination Body for Cooperation with the Media, due to this government body having failed to meet any of the demands of journalists' and media associations, while the situation on the media scene simultaneously worsens from day to day.

The Media Coalition sent its 13 demands for the improvement of the situation in the media and media freedom to the Coordination Body of the Government of Serbia in August, after which – in October – it specified and singled out the most important ones, and then requested that they be completed by the end of 2018.

“Unfortunately, none of our time-sensitive demands have been implemented within the deadline provided,” announced the Media Coalition, which comprises the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia, the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina, the Association of Independent Electronic Media, Local Press and the Association of Online Media. These associations form part of the Team for Dialogue, which is trying – along with the Serbian Government – to resolve issues that hinder journalists and the media in Serbia.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabić said that she was surprised by the decision of the Media Coalition, given the fact that at the last meeting with the representatives of media and journalistic associations, despite the evident dissatisfaction of the association with regard to the resolving of issues, there was no mentioning of possibility of dialogue being suspended. She added that, despite everything, she remains open to dialogue.