United Media takes legal action against Telekom Srbija

South-eastern European company United Media has issued a lawsuit against Serbian state-owned internet and cable provider Telekom Srbija for the “illegally issued licenses for broadcasting programs to the media”.

United Group’s operated news channel, N1 revealed on Wendesday October 25 that the company in cooperation with domestic broadcasters, filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court requesting the Serbia’s  Regulatory Autority for Electronic Media (REM) that had enabled the Balkan Sport channels owned by Telekom Srbija to broadcast, to act and report to the public prosecutor’s office on these alleged violations of the law. 

The media provider pointed to the current provisions of the Law on Public Information and Media and the Law on Electronic Media in region, that the state cannot directly or indirectly establish media, nor that companies indirectly owned by it (including Telekom Srbija) be media publishers, including REM license holders.

In a statement, United Media said: “Granting licenses outside the law favors state-owned media, which have significant public funds and a privileged position at their disposal, i.e. there are not the same conditions for all participants in the markets, which is also shown by the daily advocacy of Telekom Srbija’s business by the highest state officials and enabling their media to operate with enormous losses. This endangers the media market, media pluralism and the basic postulates of free expression, which is contrary to the strategic determination of the state”, emphasised the UM.

The company said it hopes “that the relevant authorities will act within the scope of their duties to prevent further violations of the law. We are skeptical, bearing in mind the current practice, but also the current intention to subsequently legalise that situation with new laws and enable the state to own the media.”

United Media said REM has granted more than 20 licenses to broadcasters owned by Telekom Srbija such as Euronews, Bloomberg, Arena Sport, Superstar and Agro TV, despite legal provisions.

It added that “after numerous criticisms of this practice by the public, other market participants, and even international actors, the Serbian government has now decided to formalize the illegal media operations of Telekom through amendments to two laws and re-establish the direct presence of the state in the media sector. These laws, if adopted, will enable media power to be concentrated in the hands of one company, which will make the media darkness even worse. That’s why this is not just a legal fight, we see this as a symbol of a bigger fight – the fight for media freedom and the right of citizens to a variety of information,”