Dubravka Valic Nedeljkovic, Ira Prodanov Krajisnik, Mileva Malesic and Rodoljub Sabic announced that, following the adoption of the Authentic Interpretation of the Law on Electronic Media, they have decided to take up their roles in the Council of Serbia’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM).
In a letter to the public, the four independent REM Council candidates recalled that they were elected to the body during a session of the National Assembly on November 12, 2025, but submitted their resignations on December 19, 2025. After parliament adopted the Authentic Interpretation of Article 18, Paragraph 4 of the Law on Electronic Media on July 10, they said they had decided to assume their positions on the REM Council.
According to the interpretation, a mandate can end through resignation only if it has previously begun.
“Since we never took office, never participated in the Council’s work, did not exercise its powers, nor receive the remuneration granted to Council members, it was concluded that our mandate never began and therefore could not have ended by submitting our resignations,” according to the letter.
The independent candidates stressed that, regardless of differing opinions about its content, the Authentic Interpretation adopted by the National Assembly has the force of law, is binding on everyone and has retroactive effect. They said it has created a new legal situation.
“If, under these circumstances, we refused to take up our positions in the REM Council, the authorities would have the opportunity to portray our actions as contrary to the law while shifting responsibility for the years-long dysfunction of REM, the continuation of the institutional blockade, and the consequences that such a blockade has for the rule of law and Serbia’s European path onto us and onto the organisations and citizens who fought for a lawful REM,” the candidates said.
They reiterated that responsibility for REM’s prolonged dysfunction should remain with those who caused the situation.
“Taking all of the above into account, we have decided to take up our roles on the REM Council,” said the letter signed by Dubravka Valic Nedeljkovic, Ira Prodanov Krajisnik, Mileva Malesic and Rodoljub Sabic.
The REM Council was close to being constituted at the end of last year following the election of eight members. However, the ruling majority did not vote for the ninth member, who was to represent national minorities, due to opposition from the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians. Subsequently, the four independent candidates resigned, and those seats remained vacant even after a repeated call for applications, as no new candidates applied.
Source: N1
