COMMON POSITION of 14 December 1998 defined by the Council on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union on restrictive measures to be taken against persons in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia acting against the independent media (98/725/CFSP)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article J.2 thereof,

Whereas, in its conclusions of 26 October 1998, the Council condemned the action by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's (FRY) authorities against the independent media;

Whereas the adoption by the Serbian Parliament of a law on public information which targets primarily non State-controlled media, is in breach of internationally accepted standards and is yet another step in the repression of democratic principles;

Whereas, in its conclusions of 9 November 1998, the Council reiterated the European Union's determination to maintain its support for democracy and freedom of expression in the FRY and urged the FRY and Serb authorities to bring their legislation on media into conformity with the standards of the Council of Europe;

Whereas, in its conclusions of 7 December 1998, the Council agreed to impose a visa ban on FRY and Serb authorities responsible for the repression of independent media in the FRY, and agreed that this measure should be matched by support for the independent media;

Whereas this visa ban would be lifted on abolition by the FRY of repressive measures against the independent media,

HAS DEFINED THIS COMMON POSITION:

Article 1

1. The persons listed in the Annex, who have been identified as being responsible for drafting, implementing, advocating or taking political advantage of the Serbian law on public information, shall be reported for the purpose of non-admission in the territories of the Member States.

2. Other senior FRY and Serbian representatives responsible for repressive action against the independent media shall be added to the list in the Annex should the FRY authorities fail to respond to the demands of the European Union. The Council shall update the list in the light of developments in the FRY.

Article 2

The Council shall repeal this common position on abolition of the repressive measures taken against the independent media in the FRY.

Article 3

This common position shall take effect on the date of its adoption.

Article 4

This common position shall be published in the Official Journal.

Done at Brussels, 14 December 1998.

For the Council

The President

W. MOLTERER

ANNEX

Vojislav Seselj, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister

Aleksandar Vucic, Serbian Minister for Information

Miljkan Karlicic, Assistant to the Serbian Minister for Information

Dusanka Djogo-Antonovic, Assistant to the Serbian Minister for Information

Miodrag Popovic, Assistant to the Serbian Minister for Information

Dragolljub Jankovic, Serbian Minister for Justice

Gorica Gajevic, SPS, Secretary-General

Zeljko Simic, SPS

Zivota Zvetkovic, SPS

Ivica Dacic, SPS, Spokesman

Slavko Veselinovic, SPS, Head of Council for information and propaganda in the SPS-Board

Stevo Dragisic, SRS

Tomislav Nikolic, SRS, Serbian Deputy PM

Natasa Jovanovic, SRS Regional Head Sumadija

Milovan Bojic, JUL, Serbian Deputy PM

Zivorad Djordjevic, JUL, Editor of daily Borba

Ivan Markovic, JUL, Spokesman

Milorad Radevic, Head of the Patriotic Federation Belgrade, Head of Serbian Archive, plaintiff on 23 October 1998

Bratislava Buba-Morina, JUL, Serbian Commissioner for Refugees, Head of Yugoslavian Women's League, plaintiff on 7 November 1998