Telekom Srbija & Telenor Competition Commission decision

Yesterday’s announcement from the Serbian Competition Commission that it has approved the network sharing arrangement between state-backed Telekom Srbija and Telenor is, without question, a major setback for media freedom and access to information in the Balkans.

The stated intent of the arrangement is to destroy a competitor and force two of the last remaining channels that offer an independent source of TV news in Serbia off the air.

Some have attempted to claim that this is a commercial dispute between two rival network providers, however, those that know the Serbia media market, and the President’s approach to media manipulation, understand that it is a political move, financed by a government owned company, that is intended to silence media outlets that ask questions of the ruling establishment.

The Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS) voiced concerns that the agreement does not move in the direction of a “functional, sustainable and fair media market protected from political influence”, as stated in the Serbian Government’s own Media Strategy (2020-2025), and instead raises fears of further political control over the media landscape in the country. This is yet another example of this piece of legislation, brought in to appease EU, being flagrantly ignored.

The EU has strict competition laws for the countries within its borders that are designed to prevent this type of thing from happening. If the commission and those looking at EU expansion, have any interest in regulation and the rule of law in the Balkans then it must intervene to prevent this deal from going ahead.

A Government that has full control of TV news has a license to spread disinformation and subvert the democratic process.