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PM Marković at PMQs: Government has no competence in RTCG's personnel policy and programme decisions

Published on: Nov 20, 2019 • 9:30 PM Author: PR Service
"The Budget of Montenegro annually allocates over EUR five million for the functioning of these institutions and the realisation of numerous programme activities. For example - in the mandate of this Government, 386 projects worth almost EUR 2.5 million have been implemented through the Fund for Protection and Exercise of Minority Rights," Prime Minister Duško Marković said at the Prime Minister's Questions session.

Answering a question by MP Ervin Ibrahimović, on behalf of the Caucus of the Bosniak Party, Shqiptaret te vendosur - Albanians Decisive Coalition - Forca, DUA and AA and the Croatian Citizens' Initiative, whether the Government and the line ministry plan to improve Bosniak representation in the personnel structure of the Montenegrin Public Service Broadcaster, the Prime Minister said that our country is a unique example of multinational and multi-religious harmony, that social cohesion represented a solid basis for the overall progress of Montenegro, that the tradition of good inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations dates back to the post-Berlin Congress, and at the time of the adoption of the Constitution of the Principality of Montenegro in 1905, when our country, like no other state in the region, institutionalised relations with religious communities and established mechanisms of state protection of minorities.

"Montenegro as a civil state has proclaimed by the Constitution special mechanisms for the protection of minority rights, which are guaranteed not only through the legal standard, but in depth, through the activities of state bodies and institutions," PM Marković said.

The Prime Minister said that the Government has no competence in the area of decision making, programme content creation, or public service broadcaster personnel policies.

"In particular, the Law on Public Broadcasting Services and Internal Acts of Radio and Television of Montenegro democratically strengthened its independence of editing programmes, defining content and conducting personnel policy. On the other hand, the Government provides independent and I would say generous financing of Radio Television of Montenegro, in accordance with the Law. We have increased the public service broadcaster budget by almost 20% compared to 2018, and will amount to almost EUR 15 million. In addition, the Government is committed to achieving the necessary preconditions for the professionalisation of the media space, its promotion and the promotion of media pluralism. As you can see, the responsibilities of Radio and Television of Montenegro have the highest degree of political, institutional and financial independence. There are public service broadcaster obligations regarding the representation of all subjects of society, and in this context, the right to the protection of the identity and national identity of all peoples in Montenegro. Radio and Television of Montenegro is obliged to produce and broadcast programmes that promote the multicultural, multiethnic and multi-religious character of Montenegro, content that contributes to respect and realisation of the concept of civil society. This creates the preconditions for acting in accordance with the international standards you mention in your reasoning. The Government, in accordance with the current revision of media legislation and harmonisation with international standards, recently adopted the Draft Law on Radio and Television of Montenegro, which is based on the highest guarantees of political, institutional and financial independence of the public service broadcaster. This Draft Law was assessed in the triple expert monitoring by the Council of Europe and the European Commission as 'fully in line with Council of Europe standards'," the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister concluded that the personnel policy of the employees of Radio and Television of Montenegro, in accordance with the rules, should be determined according to a clearly defined legal procedure, on the basis of a public competition and with the criteria of expertise, professionalism and relevant experience.

"I agree with you, Mr. Ibrahimović, that the status of minorities and all citizens of Montenegro should be continuously promoted, as this is a prerequisite for social cohesion and prosperity of our country," Prime Minister Duško Marković concluded.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF MONTENEGRO


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