Govt council on ex-Yugoslav communities discusses potential abolishment of TV show
Ljubljana, 10 May - The government council for ethnic communities from the former Yugoslavia discussed on Wednesday developments that could lead to a TV show for them being abolished, while also touching on state funds for the ethnic communities and on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the Culture Ministry said in a release.
Ljubljana
The team contributing to the NaGlas! programme for ex-Yugoslav ethnic communities in Slovenia
Photo: Adrian Pregelj/RTVS
File photo
Public broadcaster TV Slovenija launched the show NaGlas!, aired every other Saturday, eight years ago as the only such show for the Albanian, Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Montenegrin and Serbian communities here.
In March, its editor and presenter Saša Banjanac Lubej said that the TV Slovenija acting director decided not to extend the contacts of the contributing journalists.
She said at the time that this would in effect mean cancelling the show although it is part of the national broadcaster's plan for this year.
The council members expressed concern over the announced termination of cooperation with the show's contributory, who are all members of the ex-Yugoslav communities.
They thus urged keeping the show's quality content, which they believe should not be impacted by the strained situation at public broadcaster RTV Slovenija.
The council will send its position to the government and urge RTV Slovenija to ensure conditions to keep NaGlas! within the current scope in the future.
Today's session was chaired by the council's head, Culture Minister Asta Vrečko, while ethnic Macedonian Ilija Dimitrievski was appointed vice-chair for this year.
The council also discussed the distribution of funds under the public call for cultural projects of ethnic communities and immigrants, which is the main source of the ex-Yugoslav communities' funding.
Vrečko announced that her ministry will provide an additional EUR 150,000 to the country's fund for cultural activities JSKD, to be available in two calls for proposals.
As for the Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the council discussed recommendations regarding the council's activities and Slovenia's stance on them. The members agreed to ask the government to study the options for improving their status.
The next session will be held in September, when challenges stemming from the Foreigners Act are to be discussed.