WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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SOURCE: RADIO FREE EUROPE- AUTHOR: M.J. GDNUS
EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos said on Saturday that she was closely monitoring the situation in Serbia, including the blockade of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), and called on everyone to refrain from deepening tensions, expressing concern over the criminal charges filed against Belgrade University Rector Vladan Đokić.
"The European Union is following the blockade of RTS. Public media have a responsibility to work in the best interest of the public and ensure space for all legitimate positions, they have the right, like all journalists, to perform their duties without any pressure," Kos wrote on the social network X.
Kos expressed hope that the current situation can be resolved through constructive dialogue and a democratic spirit.
She also pointed out that, in order to break the political deadlock and divisions in society, Serbia should step up its efforts to fight corruption and advance rule of law reforms, including strengthening media pluralism and electing the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) through a transparent and inclusive process.
"These reforms are crucial for Serbia's progress on its European path. The EU offers support, and I plan to visit Serbia later this month to discuss this," Kos concluded.
In a coordinated action, students from Belgrade and Novi Sad began blocking the RTS and Radio Television of Vojvodina (RTV) buildings on the evening of April 14, claiming that the public media services were not reporting objectively on their protests.
They stated that the blockade would last "until a new competition for members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) is announced."
The students in the blockade have been protesting for months, demanding accountability for the collapse of the concrete canopy of the Novi Sad Railway Station on November 1 last year, which killed 16 people.
They are also demanding that the attackers of the students in the protests that followed the tragedy be punished and that the proceedings against the arrested demonstrators be suspended.
Their demands were supported by organizations of educators, lawyers, university professors, farmers, and some other citizens.
On April 18, the rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, was questioned as part of a pre-investigation proceeding for the criminal offense of abuse of office.
He is one of the rectors who supported the demands of the students who, through blockades of faculties and protests across Serbia, are demanding responsibility for the accident in Novi Sad.
On the evening of March 10, students from Belgrade and Novi Sad gathered unannounced in front of public media services and blocked all entrances, demanding objective reporting on the protests.
RTS previously announced that due to the difficult working circumstances caused by the blockade, it was forced to adjust its programming schedule, a criminal complaint was filed with the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade against unidentified persons, and a response from international institutions was requested.
