SKOPJE, 19.02.2018 – The Association of Journalists of Macedonia believes that re-election of Marjan Cvetkovski as director of the Macedonian Radio Television again proves the political control over the institution and is not aligned with the expected reforms. The choice of Cvetkovski is a result of the strong pressure that the political party in opposition VMRO-DPMNE and the one in government DUI put on the members of the Program Council.
Unfortunately, the member of the Program Council nominated by AJM did not support the re-election of Cvetkovski, and failed to persuade the members of the Council to vote for a director that is an experienced manager, one not affiliated with any political party.
We would like to bring to attention the fact that at least four of the Council members that voted for Cvetkovski were elected contrary to the law. Article 119, paragraph 1, line 2 of the Law on Audio and Audio-visual Media Services, states that persons who in the last five years were public office-holders are not eligible and cannot be elected as members of the Program Council.
We call on the National Assembly to conclude incompatibility between functions and to dismiss form the MRT Program Council, Jagnula Kunovska and Kosana Mazneva, former MPs of VMRO-DPMNE, Agim Ljaka, a former Ambassador and Snezhana Klincharova, a former spokesman of the Municipality of Butel.
AJM warns that reformers in the Public Service must not be subject to a political bargaining between the current Government and the opposition, on the expense of the public interest.