Two controversial bills backed by Serbian lawmakers this week have sparked fears of more state control over the media and another setback for press freedom in the Balkan nation.
Parliament approved a law on public information and the media as well as another on electronic media on Thursday.
The intention of the authorities is to"legalise the role of the state... in media market", opposition MP Robert Kozma, of the Green-Left Front party, told AFP after the vote.The information and communications ministry called the adoption of the two laws an"important step towards the further improvement of the media scene in Serbia".
By allowing Telekom Srbija to establish and buy media outlets, Serbia, which aspires to join the European Union, has shown it still"selectively accepts European values and principles", said the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia . In its final report on Serbia's April 2022 general elections, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe noted that the public media provided"uncritical" news coverage.
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