BELGRAD, 25.09.2019. – The Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) refused to give the Centre for Investigative Journalism (CINS) access to the transcripts of its Council sessions which revealed the breaches of media rules by the pro-regime Pink and Studio B TVs, that occurred during the 2018 local election campaign, the watchdog said.
CINS added the documents its journalists asked for were experts’ analysis that the watchdog published and REM described as lies.
The Center published the details of the REM’s report which showed many violations of the two TVs during the campaign during Belgrade elections, showing the negative campaign against Dragan Djilas, an opposition leader, and Tamara Skrozza, a journalist. REM responded by accusing CINS of forgery, saying the published details were false, prompting CINS’ reaction.
“While we were working on the story, no one from REM wanted to grant us access to the information we asked for in line with the Law on Access to Information of Public Information. We asked REM for the transcripts or audio recording of its Council’s sessions. They answered that providing us with audio recordings would allow access to “the way the Council’s members were deciding and voting in the case, jeopardising the interest of guarding their independence,” CINS said.
The letter added that it would enable “a pressure from powerful political, media or economic centres on the REM members because they expressed certain opinion during deliberation and voting.”
CINS said the written answer came after the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Protection of Personal Data obliged REM to reply and rule again on CINS’ request in March 2019.
“Besides, CINS also asked for the copies of REM’s reports on people’s complaints, and its decision in the regard, as well as of the copy of the misdemeanour charge before the Magistrate Court in Belgrade,” the Centre said.