The EBU is highly concerned by the dismissal of the Director General of the Montenegrin public service broadcaster RTCG and the implications it has for the broadcaster’s independence.

Andrijana Bulatovic Kadija, who has been DG of our Member for the last year, was dismissed on 7th June.

EBU Director General Noel Curran said: “Independence and freedom of expression are fundamental tenants of public service broadcasting and essential to the healthy functioning of democracies.

“We hope that RTCG will be allowed to function free from political control and influence to best meet the needs of all Montenegrin citizens.”

The EBU believes constant changes in the governance and management of public service media create an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and instability and encourage a culture of self-censorship, which endangers the ability of public service media (PSM) to fulfil its remit to society. The EBU raised concerns late last year about changes at the Supervisory Council of RTCG that had the potential to hamper its important work.

Independence is one of PSM's core values, unanimously adopted by all EBU Members in Strasbourg in 2012. It is also a core principle for the functioning of democratic institution as stipulated in various Council of Europe documents and, in particular, in CoE CM Recommendation No. R (96) on the independence of Public Service Broadcasting.

The EBU has been providing long-term strategic, professional and legal assistance to RTCG and its programme of reform and believes it has been making progress in fulfilling its aims to inform, educate and entertain all segments of society in line with European standards and best practices.