Syndicate: ANEM Int.

[Veran Matic <drazen@opennet.org> (by way of Andreas Broeckmann)]

>Date: Thu, 09 Jul 1998 08:49:18 +0200
>To: (Recipient list suppressed)
>From: Veran Matic <matic@b92.opennet.org>
>Subject: ANEM Int.
>
>
>ANEM ANNOUNCEMENT RELATED TO NEW REGULATIONS ON ELECTRONIC MEDIA IN BULGARIA
>
>
>Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) joins the protest of
>organisations which deal with protection of rights of free reporting sent to
>Bulgarian authorities, particularly the protest of Committee to Protect
>Journalists (CPJ) from New York, related to the two new draft laws in
>Bulgaria - Law on radio and Television and law on Telecommunications.
>Solutions defined in these two laws are such that state organs keep crucial
>impact on allocation of radio frequencies and Tv channels, although those
>laws formally abolish monopoly of the state TV, and it may mean that
>political criteria will be relevant in the future for allocation of
>frequencies. Such regulations can significantly jeopardise work of local and
>independent media in Bulgaria, which results in slow development of
>democracy  in the country.
>
>Therefore ANEM calls on relevant organs in Republic of Bulgaria not to make
>mistakes similar to their colleagues in Federal republic of Yugoslavia, and
>to direct new regulations on electronic media in a way that they provide
>highest possible equality among local, "small", independent and national,
>and "big" state run electronic media. Systematic stifling of electronic
>media suits escalation of conflicts in any society, and in drastic cases it
>may meald to armed conflict, and our own experience is the best proof.
>
>We hope our colleagues from independent electronic media in Bulgaria will
>have conditions to work in the field of radio and TV on equal basis. We also
>hope to have successful cooperation with them in the future to mutual
>pleasure, and that we would together bring contribution to development of
>democracy in our two countries.
>
>There is no democracy without independent and professional journalism, and
>there is no progress without democracy. Therefore we are convinced that
>relevant Bulgarian state organs would recognize objections from various
>professional organisations and that they would change aforesaid draft laws.
>If they do not do so, consequences may be visible after a long while, but
>they will be fatal.
>
>Our association thinks that media freedom is universal and that it should
>exist regardless to state borders. Therefore ANEM emphasises that it would
>fight against all kinds of restrictions of media freedom, regardless to
>whether it happens in Yugoslavia or in its surroundings.
>
>
>Belgrade, July 7, 1998
>Veran Matic
>ANEM Chairman
>
>--
>Veran Matic, Editor in Chief	                 tel: +381-11-322-9109
>Radio B92, Belgrade, Yugoslavia		         fax: +381-11-322-4378
>
>          Radio B92 Official Web Site --- http://www.opennet.org/
>
>