Rodoljub Sabic, an incoming member of Serbia’s Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) Council, has rejected criticism over the decision by four independent candidates to take up their mandates, saying they are being attacked by both the government and part of the opposition.
Speaking to N1, Sabic said the aim was to show that the independent candidates were not responsible for the years-long deadlock surrounding the REM Council, but that the responsibility lies with the authorities. He added that if they are unable to prevent unlawful practices within the regulator, they will resign again.
The formation of a new REM Council comes after more than a year and a half of disputes over alleged violations of legal and procedural rules in appointing members of Serbia’s media regulator.
Late last year, four independent candidates resigned from the Council. However, after Serbia’s National Assembly adopted an authentic interpretation of the Law on Electronic Media, they decided to take up their mandates and participate in the work of the independent regulatory body.
The process accelerated following the recent EU–Western Balkans Summit in Tivat, where Serbia was told that further progress in its EU accession process depends, among other things, on improvements in media regulation.
Sabic, a lawyer, said the campaign against the four candidates—coordinated, in his view, by both the authorities and part of the opposition—has only created further confusion among an already poorly informed public.
He recalled that the Serbian parliament had adopted an authentic interpretation of the Law on Electronic Media, according to which what the four candidates had done “were not resignations.”
“Rather, they were some kind of political gestures that produce no legal effect. The argument for that is the fact—which is actually true—that we never took part in the Council’s work, never received any money and did nothing that falls within the Council’s responsibilities,” Sabic said.
He stressed that he has been one of the strongest critics of the authentic interpretation.
“An authentic interpretation has the force of law. It has retroactive effect and is binding on everyone, just like the law itself. Whether someone likes it or not—whether it’s me, you or anyone else—does not change that fact. This is a transparent attempt to put us in a position where we appear not to be people who insist on the rule of law, who do not respect the law, and who are saboteurs, which is what we have been accused of since the beginning of this process,” he said.
Responding to critics, Sabic said resignation would always remain an option for the independent members if they failed in the REM Council.
“But this time, the authorities should know that there will be no authentic interpreter. This will be done in accordance with the authentic interpretation. Responsible people try to do something. Defeatists have never achieved anything,” he said.
Source: N1
