Complaints
Complaints
One of the competences of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (hereinafter: Regulator) is deciding on complaints regarding the programming activities of media service providers.
Any individual or legal person, including media service providers, is eligible to file complaints with the Regulator regarding programme content of media services providers, if they believe that the content is violating or jeopardising their personal interests or the public interest. When initiating proceedings ex officio, the Regulator considers the complaint indicating a violation or jeopardising of the public interest. The aforementioned complaint may be filed no later than 30 days after the first or repeat broadcasting of the content in question.
Complaints are filed in writing and must contain the full name of the media service provider of the programme content that is the subject of the complaint, the date and time of the programme content broadcast that is the subject of the complaint, the statements violating or jeopardising the complainant’s personal interests or the public interest, as well as the name, surname and address of permanent residence of the individual or the name and head office of the legal person that is the complainant, and the signature of the individual or the signature of the authorised person and seal of the legal person that is the complainant. Complaints must be filed using Form P, which is published on the Regulator’s website, and delivered directly to the Regulator, sent by post, fax or e-mail. Upon receipt and consideration of the complaint indicating a violation or jeopardising of the complainant’s rights or legal interest, the Regulator is obligated to promptly deliver the complaint to the media service provider requesting that they respond to it no later than eight days from the delivery of the complaint.
In addition to delivering a report, The Regulator is required to invite a representative of the media service provider to attend the session at which the Council will discuss the pronouncement of a measure, in order to comment on the facts of relevance to the issuance of a decision. If the proceedings were initiated based on a complaint regarding the violation or jeopardising of personal interests, in addition to a representative of the media service provider, the complainant will also be invited to attend the Council session.
The Regulator may dismiss or reject a complaint for reasons provided by law, and if the Regulator determines that the complaint is well-founded, the Regulator will pronounce measures in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Electronic Media against the media service provider, i.e. files a request to initiate misdemeanour and criminal proceedings or initiate other proceedings before a competent government authority, and instructs the complainant on how they can exercise and protect their rights.