Serbia's Media Regulator REM Council Begins Work Amid Political Tensions

Four independent candidates – Dubravka Valić Nedeljković, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić and Rodoljub Šabić – announced on 10 July that they will take up seats on the Regulator of Electronic Media (REM) Council after the Serbian Parliament adopted an authentic interpretation of the media law. Their entry follows a prolonged period in which the previous council’s mandate expired in November 2024 and the regulator ceased to function.

The new council is split evenly, four members supported by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and four critical of it, meaning a six‑vote super‑majority is required to elect a president and vice‑president. Observers note that the ninth seat, reserved for a national minority, remains vacant, raising doubts about whether an independent minority representative will be appointed.

Council member Rodoljub Šabić warned that Serbia’s media environment is “poisoned,” citing numerous pending licence requests and alleged breaches of journalistic standards. Ombudsman Milan Antonijević stressed that the council’s independence must be demonstrated through each decision, not merely symbolic statements. Opposition leader Miloš Jovanović dismissed the council members as naïve, arguing that media freedom will not improve while the Serbian Progressive Party remains in power.

The council’s first meeting is slated for the beginning of next week, where it will elect its leadership and begin addressing the regulatory backlog that has left public broadcasters, notably RTS, in a state of administrative limbo.