No. 07-00-702/2015-02  Date: 15 January, 2016

OPINION

The opinion was issued in the procedure following complaint from N.S.R.N.M. against P. TV channel on the issue of “V” show broadcast on P. TV channel on20 November, 2015, as well as “Č” show broadcast on 23 November, 2015. The complaint states that the show host I.I., during the “V” show, said: “Roma education is the key to solving their problems, said Minister Zorana Mihajlović – Roma are not interested in the key, but in the manhole lids!”, and therefore, in the show “Č”, I.I. apologized to the Roma population as follows: “… I had wrong information that Roma were stealing the manhole lids and covers from the posts and cables, the copper ones… and I apologize to them a hundred times…” The declaration by P. TV channel states that the shows “V” and “Č” are humorous shows that belong to the entertainment programme by genre and represent the so-called” stand-up comedy show, and that P. TV channel and the show author did not intend to publicly encourage hatred and discrimination on any ground. During the procedure, it was established that the show host I.I., by a statement in the “V” show, alluded that members of the Roma national minority do not need education because they earn their living by engaging in criminal activities. As regards the “apologies” by I.I. in the “V” show, it was established that the show host did not apologize to members of the Roma national minority, but he actually showed that he did not understand the importance of spreading prejudices and the consequences that such statements would leave on the lives of people already marginalized in society. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality expressed the opinion that the statement by I.I. in the “V” show that the Roma did not need education, but the manhole lids, as well as broadcasting “apologies” in the TV show “Č”, degraded the dignity of male and female members of the Roma national minority, thus violating the provisions of the Law on the Prohibition of Discrimination. That is why I.I. and P. TV channel were recommended to make public apology to all members of the Roma national minority in next “V”show on P.TV channel.