01. 11. 2004

COUNCIL ELECTION PROCEDURE UNDER REVIEW

BELGRADE, November 1, 2004 (Beta) - The parliament's Culture and Information Committee is to review the procedure under which members of the Broadcast Agency Council were elected to determine whether irregularities occurred. The nomination procedure is to be reviewed during the next three days to determine whether it was conducted in conformity with the Broadcast Act and whether possible conflicts of interest in the case of a number of the nominated candidates influenced their nomination. The committee met on Monday and resolved that the Legislation Committee should rule on whether the Vojvodina Assembly was entitled to nominate its candidates for the Broadcast Council because it should have done so under the Act but had failed to meet the deadline. After this, the committee will also seek an opinion from the parliament on the issue. Under the Act, the Broadcast Council has nine members. Eight of these are elected by the Serbian Parliament from sixteen candidates nominated. These eight elected members then elect a ninth, who is required to be from Kosovo. The Culture and Information Committee has the right to nominate six candidates for three seats on the Broadcast Council. The Vojvodina Assembly nominates two candidates of whom one will be elected and the same principle applies to the rectors of Serbian universities, non-governmental organisations and civil associations, churches and religious communities, associations of public broadcasters, journalists and professional associations of film and dramatic artists and composers. The non-governmental organisations and civil associations nominated Velimir Milosevic and Izabela Kisic for the council, while the rectors of Serbian universities nominated Miroljub Radojkovic and Svetozar Stojanovic. The candidates of the churches and religious communities are Bishop Porfirije of Jegar and Aleksandra Jankovic. The candidates nominated by the parliament's Culture and Information Committee are Aleksandar Vasic, Ljiljana Durdjevac, Bojan Jovanovic, Vladimir Cvetkovic, Nenad Cekic and Vukman Covic. The associations of public broadcasters, journalists and professional associations of film and dramatic artists and composers nominate Slobodan Djoric and Milorad "Fandja" Jaksic. The Vojvodina Assembly is expected to verify its list of candidates at its next meeting. The Broadcast Act stipulates that the Broadcast Agency Council should be constituted by November 27, 2004.