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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia needs to set up a national culture strategy

Belgrade, 30 December 2004

Serbian Minister of Culture Minister Dragan Kojadinovic said that a national council needs to be set up in order to prepare a national strategy for culture. The council would comprise 10 to 15 experts from Serbia’s leading cultural institutions who would be responsible for creating the Serbian culture policies, according to the Minister.

Dragan Kojadinovic

In an interview for Beta, Kojadinovic said that the situation in the Serbian culture is “chaotic,” not only because of the fact that Serbia was isolated over the past decade, but also due to an overall apathy in cultural institutions. He is urging the drafting of a clear strategy.

According to him, the strategy should help young artists, renovate cultural heritage and in the reconstruction of old buildings, as well as provide adequate space for institutions of culture.

Kojadinovic announced that the Ministry of Culture will forward 10 bills to the parliament by September 2005, adding that the law on cinema industry has already entered parliamentary procedure. The laws should also regulate copyrights, theatre, music scene, preservation of cultural heritage, and tackling piracy, Kojadinovic said.

He said that the Ministry will continue to support renovation of churches and monasteries in Kosovo-Metohija damaged during the March 2004 events or 1999’s NATO bombing.

Kojadinovic announced yesterday that the privatisation of local and state media will start soon. He also said that the RTS will get 2.5 billion dinars in 2005 from the budget, which is 700,000 dinars less than in 2004. He also said that the process of turning the RTS into a public service must be completed.

The Minister said that only six or seven television stations will be granted a national frequency, including RTS, B92, Pink and BK. He announced that tenders for granting broadcasting permits should be called in February 2005.