Serbia's Media Regulator Members Refuse Reinstatement

Four members of Serbia's national electronic media regulator, the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) Council, are refusing reinstatement. They resigned over a dispute with the parliamentary Culture and Information Committee and insist that only the national parliament can resolve the matter according to the law.

The REM Council has been unable to operate fully since late 2025 when all four independent members resigned. The parliamentary committee recently ended and restarted the election process for Council members, claiming the resignations were not formally processed. This decision has been disputed by the nominees who had resigned.

Last Thursday, the committee ended the nomination procedure for a Council member representing national minorities. It also called on the four resigned members to resume their positions on June 25. However, the resigned members stated that the committee's decision confirms the "regime has given up on the persistent illegal, discriminatory favoritism of one candidate." They expressed hope for a transparent and inclusive procedure moving forward.

The REM Council has been a significant point of contention between Serbia's ruling coalition and opposition parties. The body is responsible for assigning TV frequencies and is mandated to warn and penalize stations that violate the law. Critics argue that the REM Council has failed in its duty, with most national TV frequencies reportedly favoring the ruling coalition.