(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2005 ARTICLE 19 press release: ARTICLE 19’s Memorandum analyses the draft Kosovo “Law on the Independent Media Commission and Broadcasting” currently under discussion in the Kosovo Assembly and updates an analysis of an earlier draft from May 2003. We note with satisfaction that many of the […]
(ARTICLE 19/IFEX) – The following is a 21 February 2005 ARTICLE 19 press release:
ARTICLE 19’s Memorandum analyses the draft Kosovo “Law on the Independent Media Commission and Broadcasting” currently under discussion in the Kosovo Assembly and updates an analysis of an earlier draft from May 2003. We note with satisfaction that many of the problems identified previously have been addressed and that the present draft is on the whole very solid.
Amongst the most positive aspects of the draft Law is the strong commitment it evinces that the Independent Media Commission (IMC) should, indeed, be truly independent. The rules relating to the administration of broadcast licences are generally well-conceived, and should help achieve a distribution of the broadcasting frequency spectrum in Kosovo which promotes the public’s right to know. On the other hand, while the draft Law has obviously been written with the best intentions, in some areas it must be revised if its goals are to be realised in practice. Most importantly, the procedure for appointing civil society members to the IMC’s Council should be amended; the budgetary independence of the IMC should be better warranted; and the continuation in force of UNMIK Regulation 2000/37, which would enable the IMC to regulate the print media, should be reconsidered.
The Memorandum can be found at:
http://www.article19.org/ViewArticle.asp?AreaID=33&SubAreaID=123&PageID=
260&ElementID=246&ArticleID=1787&Comment=
