Bilcik: Progress Noted, along with Delays in Implementing Pre-election Steps

Vladimir Bilcik (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC/DS)

Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Vladimir Bilcik said at the end of a visit to Belgrade on Jan. 29 that progress had been noted ahead of Serbia’s next election in April, adding that implementing the measures agreed on in a series of meetings was key, as certain delays had been reported as well.

“Regrettably, we have noted delays in the implementation of certain measures,” Bilcik said at a news conference hosted by the Media Center, explaining that the work of an interim body for supervising the media was absolutely crucial. Bilcik warned that the media in Serbia remained polarized, but that improvements were noticed in the work of public services - the Serbian and Vojvodina’s broadcasting corporations, RTS and RTV, respectively.

“Our mission is not over, we are prepared to keep going after the elections as well,” Bilcik said, adding that as the European Parliament’s rapporteur he would submit his first report after the vote, and that the had been given assurances that all of the measures agreed upon previously would be implemented.

Another MEP involved in the talks supposed to help Serbia meet the requirements of a free and fair election, Tanja Fajon, said that the international community would be monitoring the polls, which she described as yet another test for Serbia in the effort to “provide a better life to its citizens, ensure democracy and the freedom of the media.” Knut Fleckenstein, a former MEP, has said that the EP representatives were not in Serbia as “advocates for the opposition,” but rather to help in the government-opposition dialogue.