Urgently resolve the escalation of controversies in the Public Service

AUTHOR: M.J.
A group of 17 non-governmental organizations called yesterday on the Ministry of Culture and Media to ensure that, with the new law on Radio and Television of Montenegro, the appointment of new members of the RTCG Council is carried out immediately after the expected rapid adoption in the Assembly, and the parliament to stop the process of electing two members of the Council. RTCG according to the current law.
Bearing in mind the escalation of controversies in the RTCG, to which the current composition of the RTCG Council contributed dominantly through disobeying court decisions, we believe that it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Culture and Media, as well as the Parliament of Montenegro, to contribute to the urgent resolution of this situation within their competences - it is stated in announcement.
The signatories remind that the latest version of the draft law on RTCG (the Law on the National Public Broadcaster - Public Media Service of Montenegro) prescribes clear conditions for the selection of members of the RTCG Council, and they require a VII-1 level of professional education and 10 years of work experience, while for requires the general manager to have a VII-1 level of professional education and at least 10 years of experience.
Also, the draft law on RTCG foresees that the number of members of the RTCG Council will increase from the current nine to 11. Additionally, the draft law foresees the procedure for electing members of the RTCG Council, which limits the inappropriate influence of political parties on the process of electing members of the Council in such a way that NGO representatives in to this body, they will not be elected by the members of the Administrative Committee in the Assembly, but rather by NGOs that meet the demanding criteria to prove their activity. These provisions and the tightening of the criteria for the selection of Council members should lead to greater independence of the RTCG Council, and consequently to greater independence of the RTCG management - the announcement reads.
The Ministry envisages that the implementation of the law be postponed for three years so that the current Council and management of RTCG can complete their mandate, which, according to 17 non-governmental organizations, demonstrates an inappropriately ignorant attitude towards pressing problems and consciously makes no sense the necessary changes that should be induced by the new media laws.
The current Council was elected in a procedure that enabled the strong influence of political entities through the Administrative Board of the Parliament of Montenegro, who chose representatives of NGOs according to their political preferences, and they make up four of the nine members of the Council. Such a Council illegally elected the general director of RTCG twice, which was confirmed by court verdicts, as well as the decision of the Agency for the Prevention of Corruption - they remind from the civil sector.
As they state, the Assembly is currently carrying out the procedure of electing two members of the Council for a new mandate, although it is clear that the new legal text must be adopted quickly, so that Montenegro receives a positive IBAR in June, as well as that one of the two candidates participated in a double illegal appointment Raonic.
NGOs appreciate that there is no valid argument to postpone the election of all RTCG management structures for three years, because this is the only way to create the preconditions for this institution to be freed from party influence and professionalized into a true public service.
Breaking the law and ignoring court rulings in RTCG cannot be a contribution to the position of the Government, which claims to be committed to European integration and the rule of law. Therefore, we call on the Ministry of Culture and Media to accept this request of the civil sector and to include in the final version of the proposal of the Law on RTCG the provisions that enable the application of the law immediately after its adoption, but also the Parliament of Montenegro to suspend the current procedure and to elect all new Council members according to the new legal solution - the announcement concludes.
The signatories of the initiative are Media Center, Center for Civic Education (CGO), NGO Prima, Montenegrin PEN Center, Association SPEKTRA, Center for Investigative Journalism CIN-CG, Center for Monitoring and Research (CeMI), Alliance for Equal Rights of LGBTI Persons ERA, Montenegrin women's lobby, Association of Disabled Youth of Montenegro (UMHCG), Kvir Montenegro, Juventas, Society of Montenegrin Publishers, Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG), Center for Women's Rights (CŽK), Alternative Institute and Center for Development of Non-Governmental Organizations (CRNVO).