IV
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. RES. 378
Deploring recent actions by the government of Serbia that restrict freedom
of the press and freedom of expression and prevent the Soros Foundation
from continuing its democracy-building and humanitarian activities on
its territory and calling upon the government of Serbia to remove imme-
diately restrictions against freedom of the press and the operation of
the Soros Foundation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 12, 1996
Mr. LANTOS (for himself and Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr.
BASS, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BALLENGER, and Mr. WATTS of
Oklahoma) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Deploring recent actions by the government of Serbia that
restrict freedom of the press and freedom of expression
and prevent the Soros Foundation from continuing its
democracy-building and humanitarian activities on its
territory and calling upon the government of Serbia to
remove immediately restrictions against freedom of the
press and the operation of the Soros Foundation.
Whereas free and independent news media and freedom of ex-
pression are fundamental tenets of democracy and are
vital to assuring democratic government;
HRES 378 IH
Whereas democracy can exist only in an environment that is
free of any form of state control or censorship or official
coercion of any kind and where freedom of the press is
protected by the rule of law;
Whereas independent radio and television stations and inde-
pendent newspapers in Serbia have recently been sub-
jected to restrictions, harassment, intimidation, and clo-
sure;
Whereas the internationally respected humanitarian and phil-
anthropic organization, the Soros Foundation, has been
denied the legal authorization to function in Serbia, and
one of the principal activities of the Soros Foundation in
Serbia has been to provide assistance for regular publica-
tion and distribution of independent daily, weekly, and
local newspapers and to provide equipment and technical
assistance to independent radio and television outlets;
and
Whereas parliamentary elections will take place in Serbia in
the near future and the existence of free and independent
news media is essential to the proper functioning of
democratic elections: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) deplores the recent actions of the govern-
ment of Serbia that restrict freedom of the press
and freedom of expression and hamper civic organi-
zations and democratic opposition groups;
(2) deplores the actions of the government of
Serbia in revoking the legal registration of the Soros
Foundation, which therefore prevents the Founda-
HRES 378 IH
tion from further activity in Serbia, and commends
the Soros Foundation for its past activities in Serbia
and elsewhere in support of freedom of the press,
freedom of expression, and the development of demo-
cratic institutions;
(3) calls upon the government of Serbia to re-
move immediately those restrictions against the
independent press and against independent radio
and television stations, to remove immediately re-
strictions that have hampered free activity by civic
organizations and democratic opposition groups, and
to restore immediately the right of the Soros Foun-
dation to operate fully in Serbia;
(4) declares that United States economic and
other assistance for Serbia and United States sup-
port for full participation of Serbia in international
financial institutions should be conditioned on the
full functioning of independent news media, civic or-
ganizations, and democratic opposition groups; and
(5) requests that the President and the Sec-
retary of State convey to appropriate officials of the
governments of Serbia, including President Slobodan
Milosevic, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of
HRES 378 IH
Foreign Affairs, this expression of the views of the
Congress.
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