Four independent members rejoin Serbia's media regulator REM

Four independent candidates – Rodoljub Šabić, Mileva Malešić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković – have decided to take up seats in the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) after the Serbian Parliament adopted an “authentic interpretation” of the Law on Electronic Media. The interpretation declares their December 2023 resignations to be merely political statements without legal effect because their mandates never formally began.

The candidates had resigned in protest over the selection process, particularly the government’s insistence on a disputed candidate from the national‑minority quota. With the new interpretation they returned, stating they will work from inside to make REM functional. Šabić said the body is “a very neglected house with no constructive atmosphere” and pledged that “we will do everything we can so REM fulfills its functions.”

The council still lacks a ninth member – the seat reserved for a national‑minority representative – leaving it without a majority. Political figures have weighed in: Equality commissioner Milan Antonijević welcomed the return, saying “Serbia needs a REM with credibility,” while opposition leader Dragan Đilas criticized the process and warned that the incomplete council cannot make decisive decisions. The development has sparked public debate about media regulation and Serbia’s compliance with EU expectations.