Parliamentary Committee Approves Proposal to Increase State TV Subscription Fee

Photo: Pedja Vuckovic

At a July 22 session, the Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Information passed a proposal to amend the law governing the collection of a public service fee so as to increase the monthly subscription from 299 to 349 dinars.

The rationale behind the request says that the Government of Serbia filed the draft amendments to the Parliament on July 4, explaining that the subscription fee of 299 dinars had not changed since 2020, and that the increase of 50 dinars would ensure smooth operation by the public service.

Zoran Lutovac, a Member of Parliament and president of the Democratic Party, suggested that  given the nature of the RTS news program, designed "to support the ruling Serbian Progressive Party and Aleksandar Vucic,” only the Progressives should pay the subscription, since the program is intended for them anyway."

Branko Miljus, an MP representing the Freedom and Justice Party, said that the increase would give RTS is getting "the slice of cake" it deserved for creating a false reality, and that by performing that way the media service violated the Constitution and law, as well as the right to timely and objective information.

Another MP, Uros Djokic of the People's Movement of Serbia, described the move to increase the RTS subscription free as unjustified, explaining that the RTS rarely interviewed the opposition, or anyone presenting a critical opinion for that matter.