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Montenegro shuts down the analogue signal: Beginning of the digital era

 

Together with the Head of the Delegation of the European Union EU in Montenegro, Mitja Drobnič, and the executive director of the Broadcasting Agency, Zeljko Nikolic, the Minister officially shutdown analog signal in Montenegro by pressing of a button.

Lazovic said, opening the conference on the transition to digital signal, that Montenegro just took another step on the road towards the EU, according to agency MINA.

He explained Montenegro had fulfilled the obligation assumed in accession negotiations in the chapter ten -Information Society and Media – with which the Government confirmed its foreign policy priorities and readiness for further alignment with all regulations and EU directives in this area.

“The transition to digital technology does not only mean moving of existing television to the digital platform, but implies creation of an environment that enables open and free media market, while respecting the principles of transparency and non-discrimination, in order to provide additional impulse to democratic processes and the rule of law”, said Lazovic.

He pointed out that, in order to create equal opportunities for taking advantage of the digital signal, special care needs to be given to the most vulnerable categories in the society – beneficiaries of financial family support and personal disability, explaining that for them, free devices for receiving the digital signal were provided.

“A total of 14.5 thousand people has been identified, 14 thousand of which received the free digital signal receiver”, said Lazovic.

He added educational and health institutions, alongside the Centre “1. jun “, Institute Komanski Most and the Children’s Home for abandoned children in Bijela received a total of 140 free devices.

Head of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Mitja Drobnič, said that the EU has always been committed to promoting digital technology and the concept of the information society which is increasingly viewed as a source of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.

He pointed out that the EU’s Digital Agenda, as the leading initiative in the Europe 2020 strategy, envisages 101 measures in areas such as a single digital market, Internet access and digital literacy.

“The contribution of the EU for the transition from analogue to digital signal amounted to more than two million euros”, said Drobnič, stating that it will cover over 90 percent of population in Montenegro.

Digitalization will, as he said, enable better quality digital picture and sound, and there will be no problems in synchronization of sound and picture. He added appropriate measures should be taken to ensure that all electronic media in Montenegro are fully adapted to these technological changes.

 

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