The initiative for Vojvodic’s dismissal came from the Council member Goran Djurovic and it was related to annulling the vacancy ad for the position of TVCG director and failing to obey standards in the news programmes and cancelling Replika TV show.
Vojvodic said he had been suggested to cancel the contest in order to avoid complaints and unnecessarily prolonging the process. There were seven applicants for the position: Časlav Vujotić, Marko Milačić, Mladen Đuretić, Andrijana Kadija, Dragan Cvijović, Sonja Drobac and Sabrija Vulic.
Vojvodic said that annulling the contest was done in accordance with the law, adding that he would not comment on any of the candidates.
He also said that he did not edited news programmes or TV shows during his term of office in RTCG, but noted that journalists should have better knowledge.
“When analysing news and TV programmes, I think that there should be certain knowledge and certain competence. We should not feel sorrow about journalists leaving either this or other media outlets, because few of them are good. I haven’t met good journalists. I can take them all to dinner today, if they are willing to go, and I would not spend too much money. There are no great journalists in RTCG. This is a devastating fact. Let’s not cry for journalists,” said Vojvodic, noting that journalist Nevenka Cirovic does not do her job well. Her Replica TV show has been cancelled, which is one of the reasons for the initiative for his dismissal.
“She is not for that kind of show. Her show is not good and it is not for prime time. This is my position,” Vojvodic said.
He also criticised former TVCG director Radojka Rutovic.
“I didn’t sack her. She resigned and I was not aware of that. She resigned in the news programme and that was when I learned about that. She did not inform the director general about that… There were political pressures both now and then. Let’s not make a fairy tale that there is no political pressure in RTCG. Let’s not be silent about it. I haven’t been connected to anyone. I have been exposed to the campaign. I guess it’s the job of a CEO to suffer and to cope with the pressures,” Vojvodic said.
He pointed out that he had managed to get RTCG finances under control.
RTCG Council member Milan Radovic agreed that political pressure was the key factor for the dismissal. Radovic told CDM that Vojvodic achieved good results and made a significant contribution to RTCG.
“This contribution is particularly reflected in the fact that RTCG’s finances were brought under control. I am grateful to him for the good moves and cooperation we had. However, political pressures I mentioned have caused failure to respect the principles and standards as well as the hierarchy in the decision-making. I think the key reason for the dismissal is the unwillingness and inability to reject the pressures,” said Radovic.
