New Editor of RTS: Political Pressure Is Out of The Question

Serbian Public Broadcasting Service (BETAPHOTO/AMIR HAMZAGIC)

The newly appointed editor-in-chief of the Information Program of the Serbian public broadcaster RTS, Borivoje Uskokovic, stated on Oct. 29 that journalists and editors of the public broadcaster would not yield to any political pressure in the future, and that they would work solely in the interest of the public.

Uskokovic told BETA that the Information Program of RTS would be what the Serbian citizens expect and want. “We will work in the interest of the public, objectively, fairly and truthfully. Our owners are Serbian citizens who pay the subscription. If citizens are our owners, then we must be present at any time and in every place where events that are important for the society and state take place, and to report truthfully and in a timely manner,” he stated.

Asked if the journalists and editors of RTS would yield to political pressure, as was the case in the previous period, Uskokovic replied that the Information Program would work in the interest of all citizens. “Political pressure is out of the question. I do not have the phone numbers of any politician of the outgoing authorities, or of representatives of future authorities. I have accepted the post of editor-in-chief of the Information Program because I believe RTS can change and work in the interest of all citizens,” Uskokovic emphasized.

According to the decision of the acting editor-in-chief of the Information Program, Borivoje Uskokovic, the following departmental editors were dismissed on Oct. 29: Vesna Siljegovic (Correspondents), Nikolina Rakic (Region), Gorislav Papic (Eye), Zoran Stanojevic (Web-site) and Suzana Gvozdenovic (editor of the diaspora program). Furthermore, the editors of the central news broadcast at 7:30 p.m. were also dismissed: Milica Nedic, Dusan Ubovic and Ruza Jeremic Turudic.