Our research coordinator, Jovana Marović, has participated in a conference “Serbia and Montenegro: A Step Closer to Reaching EU Accession?” organized by Center for EU Enlargement Studies (CENS), located at Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. Jovana has spoken about the process of Montenegrin negotiations for EU membership and the civil society involvement in this process, but also about the specific model of direct participation of the NGO in working groups for negotiating chapters. Part of her presentation referred to the EU conditionality policy within the framework of negotiation Chapter 23 which includes a reform of the judiciary, fight against corruption and human rights. Since the panel was committed, among other things, to the migration and unemployment as a key challenges, part of her presentation included preparation for opening the negotiations for Chapter 19, which refers to social policy and employment. The other panelists on this topic were Marija Vuksanović from Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM) and Marko Savković from Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence.
Koordinatorka istraživanja, Jovana Marović, učestvovala je 18. maja na konferenciji “Srbija i Crna Gora: korak bliže pridruživanju Evropskoj uniji?” koju je organizovao Centar za EU politiku proširenja (Center for EU Enlargement Studies, CENS) u okviru Centralno-evropskog univerziteta (CEU) u Budimpešti.
Jovana je govorila o dosadašnjem toku pregovora za punopravno članstvo Crne Gore u EU, kao i o ulozi civilnog sektora u ovom procesu, te specifičnom modelu direktnog učešća NVO u pregovaračkim radnim grupama. Poseban dio njenog izlaganja se odnosio na politiku uslovljavanja EU u okviru poglavlja 23 koje obuhvata reformu pravosuđa, borbu protiv korupcije i ljudska prava. S obzirom na to da je panel na kojem je Jovana učestvovala bio posvećen, između ostalog, migracijama i nezaposlenosti kao ključnim društvenim izazovima, dio njene prezentacije je obuhvatio i dosadašnje pripreme za otvaranje poglavlja 19, koje se odnosi na socijalnu politiku i zapošljavanje. Panelisti u okviru ove teme su bili i Marija Vuksanović iz Centra za demokratiju i ljudska prava (CEDEM) i Marko Savković iz Beogradskog fonda za političku izuzetnost.
The member of the Working group for the creation of Draft Law on the Amendments to the Law on Electronic Media, Goran Đurović in cooperation with NGOs Centre for Civic Education (CCE), Centre for the Development of Non-governmental Organisations (CDNGO), Centre for monitoring and research (CEMI), Institute Alternative (IA) and Juventas, submitted proposals of amendments to the Ministry of Culture regarding this legal text. These proposals relate to measures that introduce order in electronic media market and respond to the interest of public to be better informed on issues of significance for the life of citizens.
NGOs proposed the prescription of minimum percentage of 25% of production for all electronic broadcasters who want to get the broadcasting licence. In that manner, sustainable providers of audio-visual services would function and contribute to better informing of citizens, thus the realization of media pluralism as well. This prevents unfair competition, as well as the possibility of media, which basically do not have their own production and employees, to benefit from marketing thanks to content of questionable quality. This requirement is underpinned in Article 59, paragraph 4, of the existing Law which prescribes: “The broadcaster is obliged to dedicate at least 10% of weekly programme for the purposes of publishing news and information regarding the area it covers”. If broadcasters already have the obligation based on the actual Law, which relates to production of its news programme, there is no reason why not to introduce the obligation for additional 15% of content which satisfies the public interest.
Also, a group of NGOs proposes to oblige the Director of the Agency to revoke the broadcasting license if the broadcaster fails to comply with the authorization, i.e. if not implemented the program obligations in accordance with the submitted application to tender or request for authorization. Namely, if the broadcaster does not produce as many programs as promised in a public competition, he loses broadcasting license. This will force broadcasters to carefully propose their own productions, as well as other contents, and enable the Agency to, regarding the public interest, give the authorization to those broadcasters that can really contribute to media pluralism.
Additionally, NGO group proposed the solutions that lay the conditions for the functioning of Fund for the support of media pluralism. Proposals elaborated on the procedure of allocation of resources to broadcasters for the production of content of public interest. Fund resources can be used by electronic media that have the working licence issued by the Agency, which cover specific local, regional territory or operate on the territory of state and that have significant production (more than 25% within the total production). This ensures that electronic media, which actually produce programme in Montenegro, have the possibility of improving their content in order to better inform the public. Council of AEM makes the final decision on the allocation of resources, but based on the proposal of independent experts. It is basically the model already in use in the EU, when assessing project proposals financed by the European Commission. Fund should be financed with compensation paid by the providers of AVM services on the request (cable operators), that have about 170,000 users, which in the proposed percentage should ensure about 800,000 EUR on annual level. From another source, budget of Montenegro with fix allocation of 0,005% of GDP, it is possible to ensure approximately 200,000 EUR on annually. This amount would not burden the budget of Montenegro additionally, but it could significantly contribute to better informing of citizens when it comes to questions of public interest.
Amendments suggested by NGOs also contain the introduction of mandatory six-months analysis on the application of programme standards, that would clearly indicate which media meet legal obligations as well as the obligations that stem from the licence for the work of electronic media (its own production, etc). Failure to meet legal provisions represents the condition for the revocation of licence of work of a broadcaster or dismissal of director of Agency if s/he fails to respect legal norms. Amendments also introduced new competence and obligation of Agency to, at least once a year, conducts a research of public opinion that relates to trust of viewers and listeners, viewership/listenership of electronic media.
Finally, group of NGOs proposed series of measures which regulate the manner of using the resources from budget, or the prohibition of use of public resources for commercial contents (cross-subsidisation), running a special (separated) accounting and return of resources unless they are spent for the production of content of public interest. Proposals of NGOs entirely comply with the Communication of European Commission regarding the application of rules of state aid for public broadcasting services (2009/C 257/1), but that does not imply the obligation that these issues are only regulated with a contract, as the only form of regulation of international rights and obligations of public broadcasters and their founders. These proposals also contain the measures that increase the transparency of work of Agency for electronic media.
On behalf of non-governmental organisations Centre for Civic Education (CCE), Centre for Development of Non-governmental organisations (CDNGO), Centre for monitoring and research (CEMI), Institute Alternative (IA) and Juventas,
Goran Đurović, member of the Working group for the creation of Draft Law on the Amendments to the Law on Electronic Media.
Član radne grupe za izradu Predloga Zakona o izmjenama i dopunama zakona o elektronskim medijima, Goran Đurović i nevladine organizacije Centar za građansko obrazovanje (CGO), Centar za razvoj nevladinih organizacija (CRNVO), Centar za monitoring i istraživanja (CEMI), Institut Alternativa (IA) i Juventas, dostavili su Ministarstvu kulture prijedloge amandmana na ovaj zakonski tekst. Ti prijedlozi se odnose na mjere kojima se uvodi red na tržištu elektronskih medija i ostvaruje interes javnosti da bude kvalitetnije informisana o pitanjima koja su značajna za život građana.
NVO predlažu propisivanje minimalnog procenta od 25% sopstvene produkcije za sve elektronske emitere koji žele da dobiju odobrenje za emitovanje. Na taj način bi na tržištu funkcionisali održivi pružaoci audio-vizuelnih usluga koji doprinijeti boljem informisanju građana i ostvarenju medijskog pluralizma. Ovim se spriječava i nelojalna konkurencija i mogućnost da mediji koji skoro da i nemaju sopstveni proizvod i zapošljene ostvaruju prihode od marketinga zahvaljujući sadržajima upitnog kvaliteta. Ovaj zahtjev svoje utemeljenje ima i u članu 59, stav 4, postojećeg Zakona koji propisuje: “Emiter je dužan da najmanje 10% ukupnog nedjeljnog programa posveti objavljivanju vijesti i informacija iz zone pokrivanja.”Ukoliko emiteri već na osnovu aktuelnog Zakona imaju obavezu koja se odnosi na proizvodnju sopstvenog informativnog programa, nema prepreke da se uvede obaveza za dodatnih 15% sadržaja kojima se zadovoljava javni interes.
Takođe, grupa NVO predlaže da se obaveže direktor Agencije da oduzme odobrenje za emitovanje ukoliko se emiter ne pridržava odobrenja tj. ukoliko ne realizuje programske obaveze u skladu sa podnešenom prijavom na javni konkurs ili zahtjevom za izdavanje odobrenja. Naime, ukoliko emiter ne proizvodi onoliko programa koliko je obećao na javnom konkursu gubi odobrenje za emitovanje. Ovo će natjerati emitere da pažljivo predlažu sopstvenu produkciju, ali i druge sadržaje a Agenciji omogućiti da, cijeneći javni interes, odobrenja daje onim emiterima koji zaista mogu doprinijeti medijskom pluralizmu.
Grupa NVO je predložila i rješenja kojima se stvaraju uslovi za funkcionisanje Fonda za podsticanje medijskog pluralizma. U prijedlozima je razrađen detaljno postupak dodjele sredstava emiterima za proizvodnju sadržaja od javnog interesa. Sredstva iz Fonda mogu koristiti elektronski mediji koji imaju odobrenje za rad Agencije, koji pokrivaju određenu lokalnu, regionalnu teritoriju ili djeluju na teritoriji države i koji imaju značajnu sopstvenu produkciju (iznad 25% sopstvene u ukupnoj produkciji). Ovim se osigurava da elektronski mediji koji zaista proizvode program u Crnoj Gori dobiju mogućnost unaprijeđenja svojih sadržaja radi ostvarivanja boljeg informisanja javnosti. Savjet AEM donosi konačnu odluku o raspodjeli sredstava, ali na osnovu prijedloga nezavisnih eksperata. Praktično se radi o modelu koji se već koristi u EU prilikom ocjenjivanja prijedloga projekata koje finansira Evropska komsija. Sam Fond se treba finansirati od nadoknade koju plaćaju pružaoci AVM usluga na zahtjev (kablovski operateri), koji ukupno imaju oko 170,000 korisnika što u predloženom procentu treba da osigura oko 800,000 eura godišnje. Iz drugog izvora, budžeta Crne Gore uz fiksno izdvajanje od 0,005% BDP, moguće je osigurati oko 200,000 eura na godišnjem nivou. Ovaj iznos neće opteretiti budžet Crne Gore a može značajno pomoći bolje informisanje građana o pitanjima od javnog interesa.
U izmjenama koje predlažu NVO je i uvođenje obavezne šestomjesečne analize o primjeni programskih standarda koja bi jasno pokazala koji mediji ispunjavaju zakonske obaveze i obaveze koje proističu iz odobrenja za rad elektronskih medija (sopstvena produkcija itd…). Neispunjavanje zakonskih odredbi predstavlja uslov za oduzimanje odobrenja za rad emitera ili razrješenje direkotra Agencije ukoliko ne poštuje zakonske norme. Uvodi se i nova nadležnost i obaveza Agencije da najmanje jednom godišnje sprovede istraživanje javnog mnjenja koje se odnosi na povjerenje gledalaca i slušalaca, gledanost/slušanost elektronskih medija.
Konačno, grupa NVO predložila je niz mjera kojima su regulisani način korišćenja sredstava iz budžeta odnosno zabrana korišćenja javnih sredstava za komercijalne sadržaje (unakrsno subvencioniranje), vođenje posebnog (odvojenog) računovodstva i povraćaj sredstava ukoliko ne budu utrošena za proizvodnju sadržaja od javnog interesa. Prijedlozi NVO u potpunosti uvažavaju Saopštenje Evropske komisije o primjeni pravila državne pomoći za javne radio-difuzne usluge (2009/C 257/1), ali se ne stvara obaveza da se ova pitanja isključivo regulišu ugovorom kao jedinim oblikom za uređenje međusobnih prava i obaveza javnih emitera i njihovih osnivača. U ovim prijedlozima se nalaze i mjere kojima se povećava transparentnost rada Agencije za elektronske medije.
U ime nevladinih organizacija Centar za građansko obrazovanje (CGO), Centar za razvoj nevladinih organizacija (CRNVO), Centar za monitoring i istraživanja (CEMI), Institut Alternativa (IA) i Juventas,
Goran Đurović, član radne grupe za izradu Predloga Zakona o izmjenama i dopunama zakona o elektronskim medijima
With the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway, next week on May 19th, we are organizing the conference “Strengthening public finance oversight – How can the state and internal auditors cooperate better?”
This meeting of state and internal auditors, first of a kind, is organized with the cooperation with the State Audit Institution (SAI) and Ministry of Finance.
Our intention is to emphasize the need of strengthening the cooperation between SAI and the system of internal audit. We will gather the representatives of external and internal audit, with the aim to talk about future previous cooperation, point out to the potential problems and obstacles and finally, to agree upon the direction of the future cooperation.
In the introductory part of the conference, the speakers will be:
Stevo Muk, President of the Managing board of the Institute alternative, opening of the conference
Branislav Radulović, PhD, the member of the Senate of the SAI— „Relation of the state and internatl audit in the public sector in Montenegro”
mr Ana Krsmanović, Director General of the Directorate for Central harmonization in the Ministry of Finance— „Hitherto improvement in establishing the system of the internal audit“
Marko Sošić, public policy researcher at Institute alternative — „Examples from the comparative practice of the cooperation between SAI and internal control”
All head of units for the internal audit in Montenegro are invited to the conference, as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Finance (Directorate of the Central Harmonization). The conference will be attended by the members of the Senate of SAI, the Head of sectors and units of SAI.
The conference will be held in the hotel Ramada, Lesendro hall, at 11h. If you wish to attend the conference, do not hesitate to contact the project coordinator, Marko Sošić at email: marko@institut-alternativa.org, or at the phone number: 067 239 807.
The Conference “Strengthening public finance oversight – How can the state and internal auditors cooperate better?” is the part of the project “Together towards accountability – strengthening the impact of the state audit in Montenegro”, supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade. The goal of the project is to increase the level of the implementation of SAI’s recommendations, as well as strengthening ties between the SAI and the Parliament of Montenegro, civil society organizations and internal auditors in the public sector.
Uz podršku ambasade Kraljevine Norveške, naredne nedjelje (19. maj) organizujemo konferenciju pod nazivom „Jačanje nadzora javnih finansija — Kako do bolje saradnje državnih i unutrašnjih revizora?“.
Ovaj prvi skup državnih i unutrašnjih revizora, organizujemo u saradnji sa Državnom revizorskom institucijom (DRI) i Ministarstvom finansija.
Naša namjera je da kroz ovaj skup ukažemo na potrebu jačanja saradnje između DRI i sistema unutrašnje revizije. Na jednom mjestu ćemo okupiti predstavnike eksterne i unutrašnje revizije sa ciljem da porazgovaramo o dosadašnjoj saradnji, ukažemo na moguće probleme i prepreke, kao i dogovorimo pravce buduće saradnje.
U toku uvodnog dijela konferencije, izlaganja će imati:
Stevo Muk, predsjednik Upravnog odbora Instituta alternativa, otvaranje skupa
dr Branislav Radulović, član Senata Državne revizorske institucije — „Odnos državne i unutrašnje revizije u javnom sektoru Crne Gore“
mr Ana Krsmanović, generalna direktorica Direktorata za centralnu harmonizaciju u Ministarstvu finansija — „Dosadašnji napredak u uspostavljanju sistema unutrašnje revizije“
Marko Sošić, istraživač javnih politika u Institutu alternativa — „Primjeri iz uporedne prakse saradnje DRI i unutrašnje revizije na kojima možemo učiti“
Na konferenciju su pozvani svi rukovodioci jedinica/službi za unutrašnju reviziju u Crnoj Gori, kao i predstavnici Ministarstva finansija (Direktorata za centralnu harmonizaciju). Takođe, konferenciji će prisustvovati članovi Senata DRI, načelnici sektora i rukovodioci odjeljenja DRI.
Konferencija će se održati u hotelu Ramada, sala Lesendro, u Podgorici, sa početkom u 11h. Ukoliko ste zainteresovani da prisustvujete događaju, možete kontaktirati koordinatora projekta, Marka Sošića, na e-mail marko@institut-alternativa.org ili telefon 067 239 807.
Institut alternativa, uz podršku ambasade Kraljevine Norveške sprovodi projekat “Zajedno ka odgovornosti – jačanje uticaja državne revizije u Crnoj Gori”. Cilj projekta je povećati stepen ispunjenja preporuka DRI, a komponente projekta su i jačanje veze DRI sa Skupštinom Crne Gore, organizacijama civilnog društva i internim revizorima u javnom sektoru.
Our research coordinator, Jovana Marović, has participated in a conference “Serbia and Montenegro: A Step Closer to Reaching EU Accession?” organized by Center for EU Enlargement Studies (CENS), located at Central European University (CEU) in Budapest. Jovana has spoken about the process of Montenegrin negotiations for EU membership and the civil society involvement in this process, but also about the specific model of direct participation of the NGO in working groups for negotiating chapters. Part of her presentation referred to the EU conditionality policy within the framework of negotiation Chapter 23 which includes a reform of the judiciary, fight against corruption and human rights. Since the panel was committed, among other things, to the migration and unemployment as a key challenges, part of her presentation included preparation for opening the negotiations for Chapter 19, which refers to social policy and employment. The other panelists on this topic were Marija Vuksanović from Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEM) and Marko Savković from Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence.
