Izmene Zakona o javnom informisanju - povratak u devedesete
Amendments of the Public Information Act - Return to the 1990s

Summary/Abstract: Amendments of the Public Information Act adopted in August 2009 put media and the courts in an unenviable position. The media rightly feel endangered and are again a target as they were in 1990s, while courts do not know how to apply and whether to apply new provisions. These circumstances undoubtedly led to a reduction of the administrative capacities in the public sphere as well as the degradation of the media system in Serbia. The most difficult consequences are at first invisible and hardly proved: the media do not advance in researching on delicate topics and the self-censorship is more present in media which hinders journalists in properly performing their work. Significantly high pecuniary penalties for founders and responsible persons in journalism may lead to closing of certain media in the environment of undeveloped media market and visible financial crisis. Provisions which directly prescribe media closure and manner in which the amendments are adopted furthermore leads to the conclusion that the intention was not to improve the statutory provisions.

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