BELGRADE – The Serbian Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Information has scheduled a session for April 28 to discuss initiating the process of selecting new members for the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM). This follows ongoing protests by students who have been blocking the entrance of Radio Television of Serbia (RTS) since April 14, demanding media reform and accountability, reports RFE.
The session was scheduled by the committee’s chair, Nevena Đurić, after a formal request from opposition members. The students began their protest in response to the collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1, which killed 16 people, demanding greater transparency and responsibility from public institutions and broadcasters.
Opposition lawmakers stress that replacing REM Council members is essential for restoring public trust and ensuring independent media oversight. The move is widely interpreted as a direct response to student pressure and growing public dissatisfaction.
Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the Serbian Parliament, urged students to end the RTS blockade, describing it as a form of “terror and harassment” toward RTS employees. She stated that workers have been under stress for over 200 hours.
“I call for an end to the blockade, for dialogue instead of humiliation, threats, and persecution,” Brnabić said. “Dialogue is healing, and it’s time we return to it.”
RTS announced it has had to adjust its programming due to “difficult working conditions” and has filed criminal charges with the First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade against unknown individuals who organized the protest. RTS has also appealed to international institutions for intervention.
The student protest underscores a deeper crisis of confidence in public institutions and the critical role of the media in safeguarding democratic accountability in Serbia.
