Montenegro's Cabinet session

Podgorica, Montenegro (2 March 2017) – The Government of Montenegro at today's session adopted the Information on assistance to commercial and local radio and TV broadcasters. Recognising the difficult business conditions of all broadcasters on Montenegrin media scene, the Government has expressed its readiness to grant aid this year and in the next four years in settling the obligations pursuant to concluded contracts on the use of infrastructure and transmission systems that commercial and local radio and TV broadcasters have toward Broadcasting Centre. The amount of help to all users of the Broadcasting Centre that haven't regularly paid obligations is determined in the amount of 1,847,189.16 EUR, i.e., the debt will be reduced by the amount of 36 monthly invoices issued in January 2017 and the approved amount will be paid to Broadcasting Centre in several tranches. In the event that the amount of the current debt is greater than the Government's assistance, the Broadcasting Centre and the beneficiaries shall conclude an agreement on the payment of the remaining debt this year and over the next four years. The help to the commercial and local radio and TV broadcasters which duly comply with their contractual obligations shall be treated as a subscription. This ensures transparency and equal treatment of all users of the Broadcasting Centre.

This decision represents a responsible policy of the Government towards the media and call for partnership while respecting editorial freedom. Prime Minister Duško Marković emphasised that this relationship cannot represent a new practice, but it means "drawing of the line." In this sense, every next tranche will be granted only after confirmation of the Broadcasting Centre that broadcasters fulfill the remaining obligations, while those who are not able to fulfill legal obligations must be closed out.

The Government, on the proposal of the Prime Minister, took off from the agenda Draft law on amendments to the law on non-governmental organisations in order to give an opportunity to the civil sector to comment on the proposed version of the text based on suggestions given during the current public debate. The Government concluded that there is a need to establish the body that would be responsible to continually deal with all aspects of cooperation and relations between the state and civil society.

The Government adopted the Decision on educating the team for the preparation of crisis communication plan of the Government of Montenegro, as well as the Decision on amendments to the Decision on detailed conditions and procedure for payment of old-age benefits and the Report on the measures implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of the Strategy for durable solutions for issues related to refugees and internally displaced persons in Montenegro.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO