We kindly inform you that, as long as the subject affiliation of our 300.000+ articles is in progress, you might get unsufficient or no results on your third level or second level search. In this case, please broaden your search criteria.

0.00 €

Perspektive kriminalizacije nezakonitog bogaćenja javnih funkcionera kroz krivične zakone u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Srđan Vujović / Language(s): Bosnian

Borbu protiv korupcijskog kriminaliteta u svijetu, na kraju XX i početku XXI vijeka, obilježili su slučajevi korupcije na visokoj razini, u kojima su glavni akteri često bili javni funkcioneri, a koji su korištenjem svojih pozicija stekli značajno bogatstvo. Narušavanjem principa pravilnog i zakonitog obavljanja službene i odgovorne dužnosti, takvi slučajevi su uzrokovali velike štete društvenoj zajednici, pojedinačnim institucijama, ali i samoj državi. Da bi se očuvao pravni poredak, slučajevi korupcije među javnim funkcionerima trebaju biti otkriveni, izvršioci kažnjavani, a nezakonito stečena imovina oduzeta i vraćena zajednici. Ipak, to nije lak zadatak. Naime, otkrivanje i dokazivanje krivičnih djela korupcije javnih službenika predstavlja izuzetno velik izazov za profesionalce, pa počinioci često ostaju neotkriveni ili nekažnjeni. Prema relevantnim procjenama, dok u evropskim zemljama po svakom otkrivenom krivičnom djelu korupcije bude između 10 i 50 neotkrivenih, procjene za Bosnu i Hercegovinu (BiH) ukazuju na to da se broj neotkrivenih djela u odnosu na jedno otkriveno kreće i do 200. Iako bazirana na percepciji građana, referentna mjerenja o prisutnosti korupcije po državama, godinama unazad, pokazuju da je BiH, uz Albaniju, zemlja koja je najviše pogođena korupcijom. Međutim, vjerovatno veća zabrinutost treba biti izostanak očekivane reakcije organa formalne socijalne kontrole, što pokazuje izrazito mali broj optužnica, pa onda i osuđujućih presuda za korupciju, među kojima predmeti visoke korupcije predstavljaju izuzetke. U mnogim zemljama koje su se susretale sa sličnim problemima, a sa ciljem da se efikasnije i efektivnije odgovori na korupcijski kriminalitet, u krivične zakone je uvedeno krivično djelo nezakonito bogaćenje. Sama kriminalizacija i primjena novog krivičnog djela dali su značajan doprinos tome da se neke od tih zemalja danas pominju kao dobri primjeri u borbi protiv korupcije. Potpisivanjem UNove Konvencije protiv korupcije (UNCAC), BiH se, pored ostalog, obavezala da će ozbiljno razmotriti kriminalizaciju nezakonitog bogaćenja, što je propisano članom 20 ove konvencije. Međutim, treba imati na umu da je pitanje kriminalizacije nezakonitog bogaćenja izazvalo intenzivne diskusije, kako u naučnim i stručnim tako i u krugovima donosilaca odluka. Dok jedni u tome vide značajne prednosti i efektivan mehanizam zaštite pravnog poretka, drugi upućuju značajne prigovore, među kojima se najteži odnose na kršenje osnovnih ljudskih prava i fundamentalnih principa krivičnog prava. Cilj ovoga teksta je da ponudi prikaz prednosti kriminalizacije nezakonitog bogaćenja, ali i najvećih prigovora uvođenju tog krivičnog djela, pritom se osvrćući na izazove za zakonodavca i izazove za profesionalce. Uz svijest o tome da je u ovom momentu teško ponuditi najbolje rješenje, ovaj tekst bi trebalo da posluži kao početni korak za buduće diskusije i analize, koje će polučiti konkretne smjernice za daljnje djelovanje. Upravo u tom duhu, dokumenat koji prati UNCAC – “Legislativne smjernice za implementaciju UNCAC-a” – predlaže da države trebaju da razmotre donošenje odnosnih pravnih mjera, a kako bi ustanovile da li su te mjere u skladu s konkretnim pravnim sistemom. Tako, ostaje izuzetan izazov da se pronađe pravi balans između pravnog principa prema kojem nezakonito stečena imovina ne može da bude zadržana, ponajmanje od strane javnih funkcionera, i pravnih principa koji garantuju zaštitu ljudskih prava i fundamentalnih pravila krivičnog postupka.

More...

0.00 €

Monitoring i evaluacija pravosudnog sistema: neka metodološka pitanja i njihove implikacije na mjerenje odgovora pravosuđa na korupciju

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): Bosnian

U posljednjih desetak godina intenzivirane su aktivnosti na globalnom planu kako bi se razvili odgovarajući metodološki instrumenti na osnovu kojih bi se omogućilo što pažljivije praćenje rada pravosuđa i što preciznije uočavanje trendova u pogledu uspješnosti pravosudnih institucija u praksi. U fokusu pažnje različitih aktera u pravosuđu sve više su metodologije, kategorije i indikatori koji omogućavaju sagledavanje stanja pravosudnog sistema na različitim nivoima: od stanja vladavine prava općenito do praćenja i mjerenja učinka sudija i tužilaca. Osnovni je cilj ovog teksta prezentirati neke od bitnih problema, dilema i mogućih metodoloških pristupa monitoringu i analizi rada pravosuđa u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH), s posebnim osvrtom na procesuiranje korupcije kao oblasti koja je već dugo predmet naročite pažnje i domaće javnosti i međunarodnih aktera. Relevantnost i aktuelnost ovog teksta je posebno izražena s obzirom na potrebu redefiniranja ukupnog pristupa praćenju rada sudova i tužilaštava, odnosno sudija i tužilaca u BiH, a u skladu s preporukama relevantnih međunarodnih instanci. Stoga se skica izazova i mogućih načina praćenja rada pravosuđa u domenu procesuiranja korupcije koju će ponuditi ovaj tekst može smatrati skromnim doprinosom tom važnom zadatku koji stoji pred pravosuđem u BiH.

More...

0.00 €

Kvalitet odgovora pravosuđa u Bosni i Hercegovini na korupciju: Ključni nalazi trogodišnjeg monitoringa i analize

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): Bosnian

U periodu od 2016. do kraja 2018. godine, Centar za društvena istraživanja Analitika proveo je monitoring i analizu kvaliteta postupanja pravosuđa u Bosni i Hercegovini (BiH) u predmetima vezanim za koruptivna krivična djela. Metodološki okvir razvijen za te potrebe prvenstveno se fokusira na statističke, odnosno kvantitativne, te kvalitativne pokazatelje rada pravosuđa u ovoj oblasti. Statistički pokazatelji u tom smislu su numerički indikatori obima posla tužilaštava i sudova u BiH u oblasti koruptivnih krivičnih djela u periodu od godine, a koji su dobijeni na osnovu zvaničnih podataka Visokog sudskog i tužilačkog vijeća BiH (VSTVBiH). Kvalitativni pokazatelji su dobijeni analizom sadržaja optužnica i presuda izvršenom na slučajnom uzorku od 50 predmeta iz svih jurisdikcija u BiH koji se odnose na koruptivna krivična djela, a koji su pravosnažno okončani u konkretnoj godini. Ovaj dokument prezentira neke od najvažnijih nalaza trogodišnjeg monitoringa i analize rada pravosuđa na svim nivoima u BiH na procesuiranju koruptivnih krivičnih djela. Nalazi su objedinjeni za sve tri godine za koje je monitoring obavljen kako bi se omogućilo jednostavnije uočavanje trendova po bitnim aspektima rada pravosuđa u BiH u ovoj oblasti. Važno je napomenuti da, budući da smo inicijalnu metodologiju dorađivali i dopunjavali u kasnijim godinama, u nekim segmentima kvalitativne analize za prethodne godine nisu navedeni podaci za sve indikatore.

More...

0.00 €

Uloga religije u društvima Zapadnog Balkana - Izvještaj s konferencije

Author(s): Lejla Hodžić / Language(s): Bosnian

Konferencija “Uloga religije u društvima Zapadnog Balkana” je regionalna konferencija koju su organizovali Institut za demokratiju i medijaciju (IDM) iz Albanije, Centar za društvena istraživanja “Analitika” iz Bosne i Hercegovine, Beogradska otvorena škola iz Srbije i Institut za društvene i humanističke nauke Skoplje (ISSHS) iz Republike Sjeverne Makedonije. Cilj konferencije je istražiti izazove i mogućnosti kada je u pitanju uloga religije u društvima Zapadnog Balkana, te doprinijeti jačanju društvenih mehanizama i politika kako bi se na što bolji način odgovorilo budućim izazovima u ovom domenu. Pored toga, konferencija je pružila priliku da se prezentiraju rezultati istraživanja koje je provedeno u zemljama Zapadnog Balkana, a koje se bavilo ulogom religije u društvu. Konferencija je okupila lidere vjerskih zajednica, predstavnike akademske zajednice i medija, vladine zvaničnike i predstavnike civilnog društva sa Zapadnog Balkana, ali i otvorila i širu raspravu među njima o potencijalu za jačanje uloge religije u ovim društvima. U svjetlu općih izazova s kojima se suočavaju zemlje Zapadnog Balkana, kao što su nizak ekonomski razvoj, spora tranzicija i problemi sa vladavinom prava, učesnici su poseban naglasak stavili na implikacije i doprinos religije ovim pitanjima. Konferencija je organizovana uz velikodušnu podršku Ministarstva vanjskih poslova Holandije i uz učešće predsjednika Republike Albanije, Njegove ekselencije gospodina Ilira Mete.

More...

0.00 €

The Future of Public Service Broadcasting in Serbia

Author(s): Davor Marko / Language(s): English

The transformation of former state television broadcasters in post-socialist states and their transition into Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) was meant to be one of the most visible achievements in the process of democratization. The transformation aimed to break the monopoly of the state in the sphere of public communication, and to enable citizens to access information freely and control the newly established media institution. Nevertheless, recent studies on the development, work, and challenges of PSBs in post-communist and post-socialist states, including those focusing on the Western Balkans, have demonstrated unpredictable and unexpected results of such reform efforts. Tailored after Western models, and supported throughout various media assistance programs, the public broadcasters developed into politicallydependent, financially unsustainable, non-transparent, and programmatically commercialized broadcasters. The serious debate and policy intervention that would take into account the impact of rapid technological changes and the growing multi-channel environment, coupled with audience fragmentation, are generally missing. This paper examines the status, role, and main challenges of the reform of the PSB in Serbia. Taking into account its turbulent past and political misuse during the 1990s, Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) entered the era of democratization with a highly damaged reputation and poor technical, human, and managerial resources. It was challenging for lawmakers, local experts, and international organizations to create a context conducive to the establishment of PSB, and to foster its development according to ‘European standards’. Additionally, the status and operation of RTS was constantly endangered due to the non-transparent and personalized style of management and unsustainable financial planning, and additional challenges caused by technical and digital developments were not approached properly. In order to assess the achievements of the transformation of PSB within the four main domains of analysis – socio and political aspects, regulation, funding, and digitalization – this paper will address three main research questions. The first question is related to the current operation of the PSB in Serbia, taking into account its regulation, status, model of funding and program quality. The second question assesses the entire process of creation of media policies and laws regulating the status of PSB in Serbia, including the actors in this process, their relations and influence. The final question addresses the main challenges of PSB in Serbia with regard to technology innovation and digitalization, use of the new media, and the PSB’s relation with the audience. Transformation of the former state- and regime-controlled RTS into a public service was a big challenge. Primarily, its transformation shared obstacles common to other countries in the region – lack of an institutional framework (which is necessary for its functionality), a small and chaotic media market, an economic situation that was additionally worsened after the global economic crisis, political pressures, and lack of transparency and professionalism – which is a general problem when it comes to public institutions in Serbia. What makes the Serbian case specific is the highly negative reputation and image RTS had after the period of the 1990s when the regime of Slobodan Milošević used the public media as a tool of political propaganda. Additionally, its premises and infrastructure were severely damaged in 1999 during the NATO bombing. The research draws upon the ongoing debates on the status and operation of PSB in a changing media environment. Technological development, commercialization and the growing role of the market in defining media roles and audience tastes, information abundance, and audience fragmentation significantly define what we know today as ‘media ecology’. In such a context, the status, funding model, and social role of PSB and its relation with the audience are contested. In addition, the changing context for media policy and the slow process of transformation in the countries of the Western Balkans raise the questions of what stage of development the PSBs in the Western Balkans are in, how the changes of the media landscape influence this process, and what the main obstacles of transformation are. This paper consists of four main chapters. The next chapter outlines the key theoretical concepts and presents the main debates on the status of PSB, its role and challenges on both a global, mainly European, level, and the local (Serbian) level. This chapter also contains a description of the methodology used for the sake of analysis in this paper. The third chapter briefly presents the most important information on the PSB in Serbia, its history, background, establishment, structure, and operation. The following chapters analytically assess the four main dimensions of analysis within the paper: status and regulation, funding, technological and digitalization challenges, and the sociopolitical aspect of PSB operation. The final chapters provide readers with a discussion of the key findings against the theoretical framework and concluding remarks.

More...

0.00 €

Pravo na obrazovanje bez diskriminacije: slučaj “Vrbanjci”

Author(s): Dženana Radončić / Language(s): Bosnian

Odlukom Okružnog suda u Banjoj Luci od 9. novembra 2016. godine, potvrđena je presuda Osnovnog suda u Kotor-Varoši kojom je utvrđeno da nije počinjena diskriminacija nad djecom bošnjačke nacionalnosti time što im nije omogućeno izučavanje nacionalne grupe predmeta (historije, jezika, književnosti) u Osnovnoj školi “Sveti Sava”, područnoj školi u Vrbanjcima, u Kotor-Varoši. Ovaj komentar ima za svrhu analizu odluke Okružnog suda u Banjoj Luci i, posredno, odluke Osnovnog suda u Kotor-Varoši. Sudovi u ovom predmetu nisu se bavili analizom rješenja Zakona o osnovnom obrazovanju, nego sadržinom i realizacijom nastavnog plana i programa, pa će postupanje Republike Srpske (tačnije ministra prosvjete i Republičkog pedagoškog zavoda) biti analizirano iz aspekta potencijalnih diskriminatornih normi i praksi.

More...

0.00 €

The Future of Public Service Broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author(s): Tea Hadžiristić,Nidžara Ahmetašević / Language(s): English

Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in Bosnia and Herzegovina is in crisis. Since its creation in 2002, it has steadily been losing both revenue and audience. The fact that it is dysfunctional and highly politicized has brought it to the verge of financial collapse. The state broadcaster, BHRT, narrowly averted being shut down in June 2016 due to a lack of funding, and its fate remains uncertain. The catastrophic economic situation, lack of substantive progress towards EU accession, fragile civil society, and state capture make the situation more difficult. One of the main challenges for PSB in post-communist countries is ending the capture of the state by political parties, which in BiH is additionally complicated by ethnopolitics and legal uncertainty, which results from what Zielonka and Mancini call “floating laws” – frequent changes to legal frameworks and weak and selective rule of law. This paper probes the future prospects for PSB in BiH by looking at the developmental path of PSB and its current situation, taking into consideration these complex contextual challenges. Given the challenging situation with respect to the development and functioning of PSB in BiH, the paper discusses three aspects relevant to understanding its prospects. First, the development of the policy framework for PSB is examined by looking at how the initial media policy was adopted and what roles were played by key actors, such as the EU, international donors, local political elites and civil society, in policy-making processes. Special attention is placed on exploring the impact that EU accession criteria have had on policy-making regarding PSB. Secondly, the current situation with respect to the functioning of PSB in BiH is explored, particularly examining political, legal and financial factors. Finally, the paper studies the future prospects of the PSB system in the context of a rapidly changing multi-channel environment driven by convergence, digitalization, and the proliferation of social media and new media platforms in general. This analysis is positioned within the context of contemporary debates on the future of PSB, especially with regard to its legal, financial, technological, and socio-political dimensions. Special attention is paid to the role of PSB in postsocialist states, as well as the specific nature of the post-war political situation in BiH, its power-sharing structures, and implications for the functioning of PSB. In order to approach these issues, the paper draws on the work of Jakubowicz on public broadcasting in post-communist settings, (2004, 2008) and Hallin and Mancini’s work on political parallelism and colonization of the media (2004, 2011). The prospects of PSB in post-communist transitional societies are analyzed in relation to the work of Jakubowicz and Sukosd, Zielonka and Mancini, and Voltmer. For a better understanding of the broader political context, we refer to Bugarič’s concept of unfinished transition and state capture in Europe’s peripheries, as well as Mujkić’s writing on Bosnian ethnopolitics, to analyze the coalescence of the political elite and national divisions in BiH. Finally, this paper relies on contemporary studies of the media in South East Europe (Petković, Hrvatin, Milosavljević) and BiH in particular. The paper argues that the transformation of the state broadcasters into a genuine PSB in BiH has so far failed with respect to all of the core elements of such a system: funding, independence, remit, and adoption of new technologies. We ascribe this primarily to institutional inertia and subsequent politicization of the public sphere. At the same time, the ongoing debate about PSB in BiH is largely anachronistic, and fails to capture the core challenges and articulate much needed innovative policy solutions that would look beyond the now largely outdated, defunct model of PSB that was introduced in 2002. PSB in BiH is a victim of the political colonization of the media sphere, and weak, dysfunctional state institutions that suffer from the chronic disregard for law demonstrated by ruling elites. The paper first gives an overview of key theoretical concepts and debates relevant to understanding contemporary trends in PSB development, globally and regionally. The next section provides an insight into the overall country context relevant to understanding the contemporary developments regarding PSB in BiH, followed by an outline of the key findings regarding the four crucial dimensions related to PSB in BiH: regulation, funding, technology, and socio-political factors. After a discussion of the key findings and a brief conclusion, the paper ends with a list of recommendations addressed to key stakeholders involved in PSB reform in BiH.

More...

0.00 €

The Future of Public Service Broadcasting in Kosovo

Author(s): Naser Miftari / Language(s): English

With a population of 1.8 million, where Albanians make up more than 90 percent, Kosovo is the smallest and the last territorial unit that emerged as an independent state from former Yugoslavia. Formerly, it had the status of an autonomous province in Yugoslavia and later Serbia. Then for almost a decade before declaring independence in 2008 Kosovo was under the functional governance of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) a UN-led mission mandated to run the day to day affairs and set up institutions of self-government in the post-conflict Kosovo, based on the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 adopted in June 1999. The development of the media sector in Kosovo was part of the UNMIK mandate and under a decade-long international management, the media sector experienced important transformation. The liberal media regime introduced by UNMIK was successful in ensuring the diversification of the media sector. However, the liberalization of the media sector and the post-conflict rapid increase in media outlets has led to a saturated and weak media market with declining sources of revenue. One of the major projects in the media sector initiated by UNMIK in post conflict Kosovo was to set up the country’s national public broadcaster – Radio Television of Kosovo (RTK). This paper investigates the current position, role and functioning of RTK – in a diachronic perspective - from its inception in 1999 to the present. It explores whether the overall context in which the RTK is embedded provides a favorable environment for its future prospects and continued development by focusing on the challenges that RTK is facing at present with respect to regulatory, financial, technological and socio-political trends. Upholding the independence and long-term sustainability of RTK are commitments that the Kosovo Government set out to meet upon embarking on the European integrations process. In 2015 Kosovo signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) as a first important step towards the European integrations process. Meanwhile, the need to address the vulnerable position of RTK and ways to ensure its editorial independence, have been systematically highlighted in the EU’s Kosovo progress reports in recent years. From the EU perspective, nurturing the independence and financial sustainability of RTK is seen as a firm assurance that Kosovo will continue to have a universally accessible public forum where ideas, opinions and political views are presented and debated. It is also a firm assurance that the diverse segments of Kosovo’s multicultural landscape will feel represented. However, keeping on air a public broadcasting system fully dependent on state budget and not vulnerable to political interference, in Kosovo’s conditions, seems difficult, if not impossible. The paper is based on the review of different processes related to the developments around RTK. It includes analysis of legislation, strategic documents, official correspondence between Kosovo legislators, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Mission in Kosovo (OSCE) as well as interviews with a number of interlocutors (media experts, RTK managers, former RTK consultants and other stakeholders). The analysis is framed within contemporary international debates on the future of PSB in a changing media environment and taking into consideration specificities of the development of PSB in post-communist societies and Western Balkan countries in particular. The paper also explores the current perspective and challenges for future development of PSB (e.g. digitalization and the EU driven perspective on commercialization etc.) In light of the new paradigm promoted by the EU with provisions that emphasize an inherent bias toward market liberalization, it is important to understand the implications that such policies might have for the prospects of the media market and the challenges that such policies entail with regards to access and future paths of the PSB development in Kosovo. In efforts to provide a coherent outlook on the present and the future of RTK the research is guided by three broad questions. The first question relates to the process of initial media policy adoption and the role of various actors played within it (e.g. influence of EU, local power elites, etc.). The second question explores the current situation of PSB and the extent of implementation of the current media policies. The third question seeks to provide answers to the future developments and prospects of PSB in Kosovo. The paper sets a theoretical and analytical framework against which the analysis of RTK is conducted. It is divided into three sections. The first section reflects on the contemporary debates on PSB on a global and EU level followed by an outline of relevant characteristics of PSB in postcommunist and Western Balkan countries. The section also takes into account some of the relevant approaches to explain the PSB transformation in the specific context. It explores propositions put forward by Jakubowicz and Sükösd8 on the idealistic, mimetic and atavistic orientations in the transformation of PSB in the former communist bloc, propositions that were further advanced in Voltmer, to see whether the same can be applied in the trajectory of the setup, development and current operation of Kosovo’s PSB. The second section provides a brief overview of the methodological approach used in this research. The third section, the analysis section, concludes with a discussion of the research findings and offers a set of recommendations that could be useful in addressing the current status of RTK and the challenges ahead in the future.

More...

0.00 €

Princip pariteta i (ne)diskriminacija u državnoj službi u Bosni i Hercegovini

Author(s): Vesna Pirija / Language(s): Bosnian

Radna mjesta u državnoj službi u Bosni i Hercegovini nalaze se visoko na ljestvici željenih zaposlenja – zbog njihove stabilnosti, dugotrajnosti, redovnih primanja i poštivanja prava iz radnog odnosa. Sa druge strane, opće je mišljenje da proces zapošljavanja u javne institucije karakterizira nizak stepen transparentnosti, korupcija, nepotizam i stranačka podobnost. Umjesto da takva percepcija javnosti predstavlja imperativ za unapređenje, nerijetko su u političkom diskursu najglasniji zahtjevi za “prebrojavanjem krvnih zrnaca” u pojedinim institucijama, odnosno insistiranje na apsolutnom tronacionalnom1 paritetu zaposlenih, koji još dalje produbljuju nedostatak profesionalnih standarda.

More...

0.00 €

The Development and Future of PSB in Macedonia: Towards the Construction of a Participatory PSB Model

Author(s): Igor Micevski,Snezana Trpevska / Language(s): English

Parliamentary democracy in Macedonia was established with the Constitution of 1991. The multi-party system is marked by an ethnically-based divergence where the main political parties are divided into two ethnic blocks representing the country’s Macedonian majority and Albanian ethnic community. The issue of the power balance between the two communities led to a brief war in 2001, following which a new agreement was reached to share power at both the central and local level. Over the last several decades the Macedonian political system has not evolved into a consolidated democracy. On the contrary, since the populist VMRO-DPMNE took over the government in August 2006, converse trends have led the state into a direction of stronger authoritarianism. Consequently three successive Freedom House reports categorized Macedonia in the group of so called ‘hybrid regimes’ – formal democracies that manifest authoritarian particularities. The last Freedom in the World Report states that Macedonia has lost its designation of ‘electoral democracy’ as it does not meet even the basic standards. One of these standards is related to providing “significant public access of the major political parties to the electorate through the media…” Taking into account the process of democratic consolidation and the development of the media system in Macedonia, this paper analyses the transformation of its public broadcaster and the pressure from below for greater civic participation in both its decision making processes and its content and programming. Applying Hallin and Mancini’s theoretical framework, Macedonia’s political system can be classified as being closest to the Mediterranean or Polarized pluralistic model with: a strong interventionist role of the state, political parties divided along ethnic lines and the ruling party entering into a coalition with the ethnic party that won the majority of votes from the Albanian electorate (parallel majoritarian democracy), political parties having a dominant role in the social processes and placing group interests before individual interests (organized pluralism), late democratization of institutions, deep clashes among political actors and contestation of the legitimacy of the political system as a whole (polarized pluralism) and a widespread culture of clientelism. All this bears direct consequences on the media system and on public service broadcasting. As the country has moved strongly towards authoritarianism in recent years, an assessment is necessary of where PSB stands now and what (if any) its future might and should be. This paper will discuss the challenges PSB in Macedonia is currently faced with and explore perspectives for overcoming the obstacles for its transformation by considering the four normative principles of PSB: citizenship, universality, quality and trust. Being central to the idea of PSB, these concepts are regained in the ongoing debates on PSB in a changed setting. PSB, by definition, is envisaged as a space which enables the flourishing of a critical and vibrant public sphere and, therefore, it has a crucial role in enabling citizens’ active participation in the process of social change. The normative value of Habermas’s theory of the public sphere remain a critical tool for studying the PSB role in contemporary democratic societies. Habermas argued that access to the public sphere should be open in principle to all citizens and it is in the PSB core remit to enable inclusiveness as a crucial democratic principle. The PSB should play a crucial role in sustaining the public sphere and providing citizens an opportunity to be part of it. In line with this, the paper examines the possibility of citizens’ stronger participation through the concept of Public Service Media and active citizenship. Initially, this paper aims to identify the challenges PSB faces in Macedonia compared with similar dilemmas in Western democracies, and, secondly, its goal is to position Macedonian PSB in a normative framework for future transformation. Two major challenges to PSB, of relevance to Macedonia, are identified in the literature with respect to the digital age: (i) commercial pressure and pressure from European competition regulation, by which it is claimed that PSB is pushed to the margins, making it obsolete, and (ii) technological pressure – meaning that new technologies and the internet era are dramatically changing the patterns of media consumption, so the main challenge for PSB is how to reach the fragmented audiences and how to encourage their motivation, as citizens, to participate in their programs. However, Macedonian PSB faces more pressing challenges. This is the reason why this paper is based on three main claims which will be further explored. First, Macedonian Radio-television (MRT), on top of challenges of commercial pressure and pressures from new technologies, faces the pressure of political authoritarianism as its most important predicament. Second, MRT has a future in the specific socio-political context only if it moves towards a ‘participative model’ to match the pressures from societal groups for participatory democracy, and, thirdly, establishing an enduring relationship with the public and civil society is the first condition for PSB to regain trust and legitimacy in the society. In the analysis of the transformation of PSB in Macedonia we have used the conceptual frameworks developed within the comparative media systems and media policy studies. In addition, in an attempt to detect the methods of transformation we rely on the critical theory of political economy and on those scholars and policy-makers who argue that PSB is still a legitimate form of media organization in contemporary societies, with the same basic functions adjusted to the new technological environment. We draw our arguments on the conceptual distinction between the three regulatory approaches for the future transformation of PSB, taking the stance that with the current societal and political tendencies in the country the policy makers and the national PSB should follow the approach of ‘adding to broadcasting’. This approach maintains the idea that the traditional broadcasting services of PSB are of crucial importance, but adds new services as equally important for its redefined remit. Following the introduction, the next section provides a discussion on the contemporary theoretical and policy debates concerning the future of PSB, also highlighting some of the key issues relevant for post-communist countries and describing the methodological approach. Section 3 contains an overview of the country’s political and social context, a brief description of the media landscape and the structure of Macedonian PSB. In Section 4 we isolate some of the most pressing political challenges – including the concerns that arise from the increased tendency toward authoritarianism. Here we also discuss the financial and technological aspects of the MRT operation and analyse the fulfillment of its socio-cultural functions. In Section 5 we discuss our findings in the context of wider theoretical debates and emphasize the key trends and challenges for the future development of PSB. We conclude in Section 6 with the development of ideas for the future of PSB that would overcome present political challenges and would be based on a participatory model. In the end, in Section 7 we give some recommendations for the future direction of the PSB transformation in the country.

More...

0.00 €

The Future of Public Service Broadcasting in Croatia

Author(s): Davor Marko / Language(s): English

The transformation of the former state-controlled Radio-television Zagreb into a broadcaster serving the public interest in Croatia, and its subsequent reform to comply with the European standards and principles is the main focus of this paper. Croatian-Radio Television (Hrvatska radiotelevizija, or HRT) - as the reformed broadcaster was named after the first multi-party elections in 1990 - underwent several developing stages. The analysis provided within the study reflects on the process of its evolution against the backdrop of specific political, social and economic factors, also taking into account challenges of a substantial and technological nature. In recent years, as Croatia moved towards full membership of the EU, the status and operation of the PSB, as well as its broadcasting regulatory mechanisms and media policies, were reviewed to bring them in line with the new EU regulations. Croatia’s case seems somewhat unique compared to other countries that were once part of the former Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, but it also shares some similar contextual characteristics. First and foremost, the funding model is what sets apart the Croatia’s PSB from other Western Balkan post-socialist states. Considered one of the most successful models, HRTs license fee collection system has been continuously and systematically improved since the 1960s when it was first introduced. Albeit the level of editorial independence and financial sustainability has seen frequent oscillations at different points in time, HRT maintains its financial sustainability, and manages to drive its internal development. Like the other countries, Croatian PSB is under permanent political pressures, while its program has been commercialized, becoming less distinctive from content provided by commercial competitions. In order to assess the transformation of HRT into a public service, considering the challenges to its current operation and further development, the paper intends to answer the following questions. The first is related to the development of regulation and media policies in regard to PSB, including the various actors involved, the political setting, and internally or externally driven reforms. The second question targets the current regulation, status and role of the PSB in Croatia, with special attention to the PSB remit, funding model, formal and de-facto independence, market share, and the progress regarding technological innovations and digitalization. Finally, the paper deals with the challenges to the PSB operation in Croatia, taking into account ongoing debates on the global level, and country-specific discussions. This research draws upon the ongoing debates on the status and operation of PSB in a changing media environment. Technology developments, commercialization processes and the growing role of the market in defining media roles and audience tastes, information abundance, and audience fragmentation significantly define what we know today as ‘media ecology’. In such a context, the status and role, funding model and social role of PSB, and its relation with the audience, are contested. To evolve into a genuine public media, Croatian Radio-Television has to face these challenges both internally and externally. This study follows recent and ongoing debates on the future of PSM, and builds its analytical framework on concepts and ideas developed by contemporary PSM scholars such as Donders, Lowe, Moe and Van den Bulck, also taking into account theoretical accounts of media and PSB developments in the post-socialist area, including Jakubowicz, Sukosd, Splichal, and others. This research paper is divided in four main sections. The following section outlines the main theoretical concepts and the key debates in regard to the future of PSB. The third section reflects on the country background including political and economic factors, the development of the media system in Croatia and its PSB. The final section summarizes the main findings and discusses them in relation to the socio-political context and contemporary trends related to regulation, funding and the technological developments related to PSB in general. A discussion of the main trends and dilemmas on the European and regional level is presented within the final section.

More...

0.00 €

Public Service Broadcasting in Montenegro

Author(s): Nataša Ružić / Language(s): English

The aim of this paper is to examine the status and operation of the public service broadcaster in Montenegro and the process of transformation of the state-controlled Radio Television of Montenegro (Radio i Televizija Crne Gore, or RTCG) into a public service broadcaster. The paper elaborates on the current situation with RTCG and attempts to provide insights into the prospects for its future, in the context of contemporary European and local debates, tackling the obstacles, challenges and changing policy streams when it comes to public media. In doing so, special attention is given to the political, economic and social factors that influence the transformation of the state broadcaster in Montenegro. The former state controlled broadcaster was formally established as a PSB in 2002, and this is when the transformation process started. The path towards the development of PSB was not an easy task given the complex contextual factors and obstacles that RTCG faced. The former state broadcaster RTCG, remembered for the dissemination of hate speech during the Yugoslav wars during the 1990s, for political obedience to the ruling party and for its financial ruin, was suddenly supposed to transform itself into a geniune PSB to serve primarily the citizens of Montenegro. Moreover, such a transformation was happening in an extremely complex political and economic context: the country found itself in the midst of democratization and liberalization processes, while at the same time negotiating its accession to the EU. The financial crisis put immense pressure on the government and the media market, limiting the scope of any intervention that aimed at the sustainable institutional transformation of RTCG. Taking these contextual factors, and the dynamics they produced, into consideration, this paper attempts to answer three sets of questions. First, how the initial media policy and regulations in regard to PSB were adopted, who the main actors were in the process (considering the EU influence), and how these actors interacted with each other. Second, what is the current situation with the PSB regarding the implementation of policies and reforms, giving special attention to the PSB remit, funding model, formal and de-facto independence, market share, and progress regarding the digital switchover in Montenegro. And, finally, what are the key challenges for the future development of PSB in Montenegro, taking into account the impact of new technologies, convergence and digitalization on the prospects of the PSB in the rapidly changing multi-channel environment. Another aspect of interest to this study is that of the influence of the EU on the national media policy due to the competition approach of the EU. Last but not least, this research question also relates to the overall changes in the broadcasting market, with the proliferation of new media platforms and the increased commercialization of broadcasting. In order to answer these questions, the paper heavily relies on contemporary scholarly debates on the future prospects of PSB, especially drawing upon the analysis and theoretical propositions by Jakubowicz , Picard and Siciliani , Rumphorst , Moe , Hallin and Mancini. Furthermore, special attention is given to the role, function and prospects of PSB in post-communist, transitional societies as analyzed in the works of Car and Veljanovski. In the search for an answer on the abovementioned questions, the paper provides an analysis of the existing legislation, as well as semi-structured interviews with members of the administrative bodies of the public service broadcaster and media experts in Montenegro. This paper presents the argument that the former state-owned media company in Montenegro was not fully transformed into a public service broadcaster. After taking into consideration the key debates, contextual factors, and contemporary trends relevant to the development of a PSB, paper argues that the transformation of the state-broadcaster into a genuine PSB in Montenegro has so far not been successful. As will be demonstrated, the PSB remains a highly politicized and dysfunctional institution, while policy debates are centered mainly around basic issues of financial sustainability and political (in)dependence. At the same time, there is no substantial debate on the role of PSB in the society, its relevance in the convereged digital environment, and its public service function. Given the current situation, the future of PSB in Montenegro seems bleak, to say the least. The paper consists of five sections. In the first part of this paper the PSB is analyzed from a theoretical point of view, while in the second part of the paper the process of transformation of RTCG as a state media into a public service broadcaster is considered. The second chapter will deal with the definition of public service broadcasting and basic characteristics of this system, including analysis of debates on the global and local levels, outlining the opposing views of theorists and international organizations concerning legislation, models of funding, remit debate and technology debate. The following subsections present debates on PSB in the countries of the Western Balkans, as well as a methodological framework used for research and analysis. In the third chapter the paper will present the public service broadcaster in Montenegro and identify the problems faced by this media outlet. In the fourth chapter we will analyze the legislation in Montenegro, the funding of the PSB, the process of digitalizing and the sociological, cultural and political aspects in which the public service broadcaster is trying to operate. The concluding chapters include a discussion of the main findings, final remarks and recommendations.

More...

0.00 €

The Prospect and Development of Public Service Media: The Case of Albania

Author(s): Besart Kadia,Blerjana Bino / Language(s): English

Following the collapse of the communist regime in the early 1990s, contemporary Albania has been undergoing a series of economic, social, and political transformations. Such encompassing transformations affect, among other things, the role of media in society and in the democratic processes, particularly the public service broadcasting (PSB), which, in principle, has the potential to contribute to democratic advancements in post-communist countries. The aim of this research paper is to investigate the current and future developments of the Albanian Radio and Television (RTSH) by analysing dimensions such as politics, policy and regulation, market and financing models, digitalization and technology development as well as socio-cultural issues. The specific objectives of the research are: (i) to explore the PSB challenges and future perspectives in the political and socio-economic context in Albania: post communism; democratization; EU accession; liberal reforms and free market; new social and cultural trends; and (ii) to propose recommendations for the future perspectives of PSB in Albania to respond to the contemporary developments in the country. The research is relevant both in terms of media policy and developments in Albania as well as for similar research conducted within media studies. First, the research is significant in terms of policy developments since it provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state and future perspectives of rtsh. This comes at a time when there is a growing interest in media developments in the event of digitalisation and intense proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICTs). In addition, debates on the future of PSB are important in light of the democratic processes in Albania and its EU accession. PSB reinvention and repositioning is to respond to the contemporary social, cultural, political and economic developments in Albania. Media and democratization as a research topic is relatively underexplored in Albanian media studies, which corresponds with the claim of Rupnik and Zielonka that mass media remains one of the poorly understood factors in the new democracies of the former Eastern bloc. Within this, public service broadcasting is neglected as a topic of research. Additionally, Voltmer points out that mass media have been largely ignored by mainstream democratization research in spite of the fact that media are playing a paramount role in the democratic processes. Following Hallin and Mancini’s note that research on Eastern European media systems is still in the process of emergence, lacking original research, this research on the case of Albania aims to contribute to the systematic and comparative analysis on PSB and media systems in the Western Balkans (WB). This research relies on qualitative methodology. Through analysis of primary and secondary data, and conducting in-depth interviews with media professionals, scholars and policymakers and the explorations of existing studies, reports and publications on media in Albania, the research analyses the current developments and future challenges of the transformation of Albanian Radio and Television into a public service broadcaster. The research questions are: What is the current situation of PSB in Albania? What is the policy framework on PSB: laws, regulations and institutions? What is the PSB position in the media market and the financial model? Where does PSB stand vis a vis technological advancements and digitalization? What are the future perspectives and challenges of PSB in Albania? The research concludes that the transformation of rtsh to a genuine public service media has to be done by taking in consideration the political, economic and socio-cultural context in the country. It is naïve at best to assume that rtsh in Albania can be detached from politics in a country like Albania with a high level of politicization marked by continuous all-encompassing confrontation between political parties. It is also not realistic to expect journalists to adhere to Western European professional journalistic standards, which are isolated from the conditions in which they work in Albania, such as lack of labor contracts, constant political pressure, self-censorship, financial instability, low level of adequate professional development, to mention but a few. Therefore, to provide recommendations for a deep and multifaceted transformation of the PSB in Albania, it is important to understand the complexity of the context. For rtsh to fulfill its remit as serving the public interest and to survive in a fiercely competitive media market, its transformation into a public service media is a viable option, which implies the use of online media tools to embrace the opportunities offered by media convergence. This will enable more transparency and quality programming; attract the audience and be responsive to the future prospects of Albanian society. The next chapter offers a theoretical and methodological background by outlining some of the key international debates on the future developments of public service broadcasting. This will be followed by an analysis of these debates in the context of new democracies such as in the Western Balkans. The research methodology will be outlined along with the challenges of the research. The third chapter focuses on the case of Albania by offering a description of the political, economic and social aspects that are relevant to the debate on PSB. This chapter will look into the major features of the media landscape in Albania as well as the background of the PSB, such as its history, organization and regulation. The fourth chapter will outline the findings of the research followed by discussions in relation to the conceptual framework. The final chapter provides conclusions and recommendations on how PSB should be developed in Albania.

More...

0.00 €

Participatory Model for Public Media in Macedonia: Reviving an Idea

Author(s): Igor Micevski,Snezana Trpevska / Language(s): English

One of the main reasons for the failed transformation of the public broadcaster in Macedonia is the political parallelism of the entire media system: the strong and durable links between the political parties and the media. The omnipresent political pressure, also applied on the public broadcaster, has changed from modest, subtle and concealed (as was the case in the 1990s) to brutal, direct and unidirectional (as has been the case since 2008). The non-transparent, insufficient and irregular financing of the PSB; the strengthened direct clientelistic ties between editors, journalists and political actors; the open threats and intimidations amounting to censorship and self-censorship, have contributed to the overall “politicization” of the PSB’s titular mission - to broadcast in the name of the public interest. Despite this diagnostic, the policy brief claims that PSB in Macedonia could have transformative potential by reinventing itself along its four core values: citizenship, universality, quality and trust. We claim that a feasible direction for its development would be a ‘Participatory Public Service Model’ (PPSM) – a model which should be based on a solid and stable connection between PSB and civil society.

More...

0.00 €

In a Vicious Cycle: Is There a Future for Public Service Broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Author(s): Tea Hadžiristić / Language(s): English

Since its creation in 2002, Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) in Bosnia and Herzegovina has struggled to fulfil its primary goals. Financial difficulties have brought the state broadcaster near the brink of collapse several times, while state capture by political parties has politicized PSB across the board2 and increased its dysfunction. Our research found that PSB in BiH has failed to secure a sustainable funding model, is not independent from politics, does not fulfil its remit, and has failed to adopt new technologies crucial to its continued relevance and survival. PSB is a victim of the political colonization of the media sphere, and weak, dysfunctional state institutions that suffer from the chronic disregard for the law demonstrated by ruling elites. At the same time, the ongoing debate about PSB in BiH is largely anachronistic, and fails to capture the core challenges and to articulate much needed innovative policy solutions that would look beyond the now largely outdated, defunct model of PSB that was introduced in 2002.

More...

0.00 €

Active Labour Market Policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina: From Direct Employment to Strengthening the Employability of Jobseekers

Author(s): Amar Numanović / Language(s): English

Active labour market policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina are mostly orientated towards direct employment and attempts to manage the consequences of the present socioeconomic context, while the potentials of strategic, long-term strengthening of jobseekers’ competitiveness is being neglected. The main goal of this paper is to present international trends in activation policies, which have recently undergone a paradigm shift from employment to strengthening of employability, and to analyse the present state and institutional framework of active employment policies in BiH. Based on the identified shortcomings of the existing design of active measures, several recommendations are given to improve the field of employment policies by strengthening their active dimension and building a long-term approach to labour market improvements.

More...

0.00 €

International Assistance and Media Democratization in the Western Balkans: Lessons Learned

Author(s): Not Specified Author / Language(s): English

This policy memo summarizes the key findings from a comparative research project that explored the link between international media assistance and the democratic transformation of the media in five Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia. Its purpose is to contribute to the understanding of factors that can influence the results of international assistance programs and conditionality mechanisms aimed at the development of sustainable and functional media institutions in countries undergoing democratization. Moreover, the research findings offer an insight into the implications of the transposition of imported institutional models into the media systems of transitional societies in the Western Balkans, and as such can inform similar media assistance programs in the future.

More...

0.00 €

Zaštita od višestruke diskriminacije: Novi izazov za sudove i Instituciju ombudsmena u BiH

Author(s): Kosana Beker / Language(s): Bosnian

Antidiskriminaciono pravo spada u najmlađe grane prava i ubrzano se razvija posljednjih decenija. Iako se odredbe kojima je diskriminacija zabranjena nalaze u svim međunarodnim konvencijama donesenim nakon II svjetskog rata, od Univerzalne deklaracije o ljudskim pravima do Konvencije o pravima osoba sa invaliditetom , države u regionu donijele su zakone o zabrani diskriminacije u posljednjih desetak godina. I u Bosni i Hercegovini je slična situacija, Zakon o zabrani diskriminacije usvojen je 2009. godine. Pored ključnih instituta antidiskriminacionog prava koji su uglavnom preuzeti iz evropskog zakonodavstva, zakonodavstva u regionu imaju i svoje specifičnosti. Opšti antidiskriminacioni zakoni Hrvatske, Srbije, Makedonije i Crne Gore imaju posebno definisane teške oblike diskriminacije. Posebno propisivanje teških oblika diskriminacije jeste kvalifikovanje određenih ponašanja kao posebno opasnih za određeno društvo. S druge strane, ovakvo kvalifikovanje nedozvoljenog postupanja direktno upućuje sve aktere, a posebno sudove i specijalizovana tijela za ravnopravnost, na strožiju reakciju u slučaju ovih nedozvoljenih ponašanja. Iako ima razlika u definisanju teških oblika diskriminacije, zajedničko svim navedenim državama je da su kao teški oblici diskriminacije propisani: višestruka diskriminacija, produžena diskriminacija, ponovljena diskriminacija i diskriminacija koja ima naročito teške posljedice po diskriminisanu osobu ili grupu. Samo određivanje teških oblika diskriminacije ukazuje na jasnu namjeru zakonodavaca da počinioci ovih oblika diskriminacije treba da budu strožije kažnjeni, bez obzira na to koja vrsta zaštite od diskriminacije je u pitanju (građanska, krivična ili prekršajna). Međutim, samo je u zakonu Hrvatske izričito propisano da će sud voditi računa o okolnosti da je u pitanju teži oblik diskriminacije pri utvrđivanju visine naknade nematerijalne štete i pri odmjeravanju kazne za prekršaje iz zakona. Za razliku od antidiskriminacionih zakona susjednih država, Zakonom o zabrani diskriminacije Bosne i Hercegovine nisu regulisani teški oblici diskriminacije. Ipak, ovo jeste aktuelno pitanje, ako se ima u vidu da je trenutno u parlamentarnoj proceduri Nacrt zakona o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o zabrani diskriminacije, a da su odredbama člana 3. stava 7. ovog nacrta definisani teži oblici diskriminacije, na sljedeći način: Težim oblikom diskriminacije smatrat će se diskriminacija počinjena prema određenoj osobi po više osnova iz člana 2. stava 1. ovog zakona (višestruka diskriminacija), diskriminacija počinjena više puta (ponovljena diskriminacija) i diskriminacija koja postoji duže vrijeme (produžena diskriminacija). Kod produžene i ponovljene diskriminacije ne bi trebalo da bude velikih nedoumica po pitanju njihovog prepoznavanja. Njihova specifičnost i otuda potreba za definisanjem kao teških oblika ogleda se u tome što se najčešće javljaju u situacijama kada postoji trajan i unaprijed definisan odnos između počinioca i žrtve diskriminacije, kao na primjer u radnim odnosima ili obrazovanju. Međutim, višestruka diskriminacija zahtijeva detaljnije objašnjenje, s obzirom na to da je u pitanju potpuno novi koncept, te da postoje određene nedoumice u vezi sa prepoznavanjem, razumijevanjem, dokazivanjem i adekvatnim sankcionisanjem višestruke diskriminacije.

More...

0.00 €

Public Procurement Monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Main Actors, Opportunities and Constraints

Author(s): Tea Hadžiristić,Nermina Voloder / Language(s): English

The economic and societal importance of public procurement, as well as the risk of corruption, make public procurement monitoring particularly important. However, the public procurement monitoring system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is only partially developed. Its functioning is hampered by limited access to relevant information, lack of resources of key public institutions that are tasked with monitoring functions – the Public Procurement Agency and the audit offices – and limited capacities of civil society organizations to undertake independent monitoring of the public procurement system.

More...

0.00 €

Interne procedure zaštite od diskriminacije

Author(s): Mario Reljanović / Language(s): Bosnian

Stupanjem na snagu izmjena i dopuna Zakona o zabrani diskriminacije, prvi put će se otvoriti mogućnost specifične interne zaštite u slučajevima diskriminisanja. Analiza je usmjerena na domašaje nove odredbe, kao i na razvijanje ideje o njenoj implementaciji. Svoje mjesto u analizi našli su i potencijalni problemi, odnosno nedorečenosti novog zakonodavstva koji bi mogli da stvore probleme u praksi i dovedu do neujednačene primjene.

More...