SRCE asks REM how many complaints it got since Sept. 25
The SRCE party wants regulator REM to disclose how many violations of the ban on reporting about officials' campaigning it has logged. The regulator's answer is not known.
The Serbia Center party (SRCE), which is running in the elections as part of the “European Serbia” coalition, asked the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) on October 7 to say publicly how many violations of the law it has recorded and how many complaints it has received since September 25. Under the Law on Electronic Media, that was the date the ban began on reporting about officials’ campaigning and about certain activities of public officials who are election candidates.
The elections are set for October 25, 2026, so the request comes three and a half weeks before voting.
What exactly does SRCE want from REM?
The party wants a number: how many violations of the ban REM has recorded and how many complaints have arrived. It also asked when those figures will be published, adding that the answer may be “after the election or never.” It further asked the regulator to act and to publish the names of those who broke the law.
What does the party base its request on?
SRCE relies on Article 26 of the Law on Electronic Media. In its reading, REM can open a proceeding on its own initiative if, based on monitoring, a complaint or other available information, it reasonably assumes that a media service provider has broken the law or other regulations. For election campaigns, the party says, there is also a short deadline:
“When it comes to a possible violation of the rules during an election campaign, the decision to initiate proceedings is made within 48 hours of learning of the violation,” SRCE said in a statement.
That is why the party is asking for a public figure on how many complaints REM has received since September 25 and whether proceedings were opened on any of them.
Which examples does the statement cite?
As examples, SRCE points to the daily television appearances of National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabic and her news conference in front of the parliament building. It also mentions the activities of caretaker ministers Ivica Dacic and Adrijana Mesarovic.
The party also listed their positions on the electoral lists. According to the statement, Brnabic is third and Mesarovic 16th on the list the party calls “Serbia Wins,” while Dacic tops the list of the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS). We are reporting the list name and positions as they appear in the SRCE statement and have not verified them separately.
Among media outlets, the party singles out the Tanjug agency and the Informer television channel, where, it says, daily coverage of officials’ activities in “regime media” is especially prominent.
What do REM and the officials named say?
REM’s response was not known at the time of writing. The reactions of Ana Brnabic, Ivica Dacic and Adrijana Mesarovic to the claims in the statement are not known either.
