Commissioner: Most Important Thing Is for REM to Show Its Independence

Milan Antonijevic (BETAPHOTO/MILAN OBRADOVIC)

Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Milan Antonijevic has said that in the case of the new makeup of the Council of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), the most important thing is not who nominated whom, or who is whose candidate, but rather for the Council to start working and through its decisions show that it is independent, professional and consistent.

The composition of REM, in which four members enjoy the support of the ruling majority while the other four are critical of the authorities, in the commissioner's words, should not be viewed as a victory of any political side, but rather as an opportunity to reach better solutions through dialogue, different opinions and professional decision making. 

"REM is not an institution that cracks down on media outlets, nor is it an instrument of political influence. Its task is to ensure that the law is applied equally to everyone and that the public interest is above any individual interest," Antonijevic told the Politika newspaper.

On the subject of the authentic interpretation adopted in parliament whereby the four candidates who had resigned were returned to the REM Council, Antonijevic said that now, regardless of the different legal and political assessments of the decision, the most important thing is for REM to perform its role.

"Institutions cannot permanently remain hostages of procedural disputes, political disagreements or expectations that one side can get everything it wants. The democratic process entails compromise, but compromise must never mean abandoning legality, expertise and independence," said the commissioner.