Update
CRTA’s assessment of ODIHR recommendations from 2023 a...
CRTA assesses ODIHR’s recommendations in good faith and recognizes the importance of OSCE/ODIH...
On 1 October 2025, the OSCE published its opinion on the two remaining nomination groups in the second REM Council selection process - the groups representing associations of film, performing arts and dramatic artists and composers, and associations whose goals include the protection of children's rights. The opinion clearly identified which organizations met the legal requirements, which did not, and where insufficient evidence existed to reach a conclusion. Its findings largely aligned with the objections previously raised by civil society.
Despite this, at the Committee session on 14 October, the ruling majority attempted to interpret the OSCE opinion in bad faith, seeking to include organizations that the opinion indicated did not meet legal requirements. Coordination meetings between nominating organizations were held in the second half of October to agree on joint candidate proposals. At a meeting on 21 October, nine national minority councils that were not authorized nominators were allowed to participate and vote alongside three authorized ones. Under pressure from civil society, other candidates, authorized nominators, and the OSCE, the Committee at its session on 3 November decided to count only the votes of the three authorized minority councils.
A public hearing with candidates was held on 4 November 2025. However, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Elvira Kovač, called on members not to vote for any candidate representing national minority councils, ensuring that the ninth seat would remain vacant regardless of whether the candidates met legal requirements.
On 12 November 2025 - twelve months after the previous Council's mandate expired - the National Assembly elected eight members: Stevica Smederevac, Milan Petković, Miloš Garić, Snežana Mirković, Mileva Malešić, Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković. The ninth seat - reserved for a representative of national minority councils, for which Ljumturije Ameti and Muhedin Fijuljanin had been put forward - was left deliberately empty following Deputy Speaker Elvira Kovač's call not to vote for either candidate. The following day, the Committee initiated a new selection process for the ninth member, publishing a fresh public call on 13 November. Two new candidates emerged from this process: Ištvan Bodžoni and Sreten Jovanović.
Four of the eight elected members - Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković - announced on 14 November that they would resign if the vote for the ninth seat was not repeated. Their deadline passed without action. On 19 December 2025, all four submitted their formal resignations to the National Assembly, citing the continued violation of the law that had culminated in the deliberate exclusion of a legally eligible candidate on political grounds.
With their departure, the REM Council was left with only four members - all considered close to the authorities - making it impossible for the regulator to function. Under the Law on Electronic Media, the Council cannot make decisions unless at least five members are present at a session, and the election of a president requires a two-thirds majority of six members.
Despite this, at the Committee session on 14 October, the ruling majority attempted to interpret the OSCE opinion in bad faith, seeking to include organizations that the opinion indicated did not meet legal requirements. Coordination meetings between nominating organizations were held in the second half of October to agree on joint candidate proposals. At a meeting on 21 October, nine national minority councils that were not authorized nominators were allowed to participate and vote alongside three authorized ones. Under pressure from civil society, other candidates, authorized nominators, and the OSCE, the Committee at its session on 3 November decided to count only the votes of the three authorized minority councils.
A public hearing with candidates was held on 4 November 2025. However, the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Elvira Kovač, called on members not to vote for any candidate representing national minority councils, ensuring that the ninth seat would remain vacant regardless of whether the candidates met legal requirements.
On 12 November 2025 - twelve months after the previous Council's mandate expired - the National Assembly elected eight members: Stevica Smederevac, Milan Petković, Miloš Garić, Snežana Mirković, Mileva Malešić, Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković. The ninth seat - reserved for a representative of national minority councils, for which Ljumturije Ameti and Muhedin Fijuljanin had been put forward - was left deliberately empty following Deputy Speaker Elvira Kovač's call not to vote for either candidate. The following day, the Committee initiated a new selection process for the ninth member, publishing a fresh public call on 13 November. Two new candidates emerged from this process: Ištvan Bodžoni and Sreten Jovanović.
Four of the eight elected members - Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković - announced on 14 November that they would resign if the vote for the ninth seat was not repeated.
Four of the eight elected members - Rodoljub Šabić, Ira Prodanov Krajišnik, Mileva Malešić, and Dubravka Valić Nedeljković - announced on 14 November that they would resign if the vote for the ninth seat was not repeated. Their deadline passed without action. On 19 December 2025, all four submitted their formal resignations to the National Assembly, citing the continued violation of the law that had culminated in the deliberate exclusion of a legally eligible candidate on political grounds.
With their departure, the REM Council was left with only four members - all considered close to the authorities - making it impossible for the regulator to function. Under the Law on Electronic Media, the Council cannot make decisions unless at least five members are present at a session, and the election of a president requires a two-thirds majority of six members.
