State Secretary Tatjana Matić was a guest speaker at the TV program “Oko” on RTS, where she pointed out that the State was obligated to provide free digital TV signal to its citizens. She added that the introduction of digital television is a revolutionary new platform and that it cannot be charged.
Tatjana Matić also said that every day, especially after switching off the analog signal at Avala, digitalizing over 2.5 million people, the phones at the call center are buzzing with questions. She stressed that the most common questions posed by citizens are: whether the TV that they have requires an STB device or not, how to connect the STB device; if they manage to connect it, they ask how long it will be free, because, as she says, the citizens believe that after a few months, they will be required to pay a fee.
“In spite of the difficult economic situation, the Serbian Government recognized the advantages of the digitalization process and the importance of completing this process and provided funds for it from the budget. The Government has passed a regulation which states that the most vulnerable categories of the population are entitled to a free STB device. A total of 160 000 of citizens which fall under this category, received vouchers for the subsidized purchase of STB devices a month and a half ago, and I can say that at the moment 91% of the vouchers throughout Serbia have been exploited, which is very important,” said Tatjana Matić.
“Deputy Prime Minister Ljajić was told by the German Minister of Economy that Serbia has, in some segments such as digitalization, even surpassed Germany,” emphasized the State Secretary.
Tatjana Matić pointed out that shortening of the deadline will not bring any problems, on the contrary, she said, it will help us to identify any problems and correct them before the deadline.