Montenegro calls for Serbian TV to be held accountable for inciting discrimination and hatred

The Council of the Electronic Media Agency (SAEM) in Montenegro called on the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority in Serbia to initiate procedures to hold the Belgrade-based TV station “Happy TV” accountable for “violations of the established standards” of the Convention on Transfrontier Television.” The Council called for appropriate measures to be taken against this television, which also has viewers in Montenegro.

“This television unequivocally and continuously broadcasts content that incites hatred, intolerance and discrimination against the Montenegrin community,” reads the announcement of the Council of the Agency for Electronic Media.

Earlier this year, this Council stopped for six months the broadcast of the program “Novo jutro”, which was broadcast on the Serbian television Pink.

At the time, the Council pointed out that “these media are an example of violation of professional standards and journalistic ethics.”

Meanwhile, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on Serbia, Vladimir Bilčik, reacted to the return of Russian state television “Russia Today” to Serbia, which he sees as “in contradiction with Belgrade’s commitment to harmonize its foreign policy with the EU.”

“Actions speak louder than words. The return of Russian propaganda to Serbia in the form of ‘Russia Today’ contradicts Serbia’s commitment to harmonize its foreign policy with the EU.” A country that is a serious candidate for EU membership should not be a center of Kremlin disinformation,” Mr. Bilčik wrote on Twitter.

The Russian newspaper “Sputnik” announced on Sunday that “Russia Today” will soon be broadcast in Serbian.

The Council of the EU decided in March to suspend broadcasts of Russian state media “Russia Today” and “Sputnik” in all European Union countries.

According to official Brussels, these two media are important tools for “inciting and supporting Russian aggression” against Ukraine and pose a “major and direct threat to public order and the security of the EU.”/VOA/