Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications Rasim Ljajić has said at the opening of the emission station in Sombor that by today’s launching of the station in Sombor and Kikinda we are closing the coverage with digitalisation with almost 99 per cent. He has added that the objective is to achieve the coverage of 100 per cent, and in order to achieve that it is necessary to cover the following areas: Markovac, Malo Središte and a part of Veliko Središte.
Mr Ljajić has stated that it will be completed next year. Then the coverage of Vojvodina will be one hundred per cent.
“With these two emission stations we achieve the coverage in the border areas with Romania, Hungary and Croatia. This is important because Serbian population in those areas will be able to watch TV channels from Serbia. Those are 9 national channels plus 4 regional and local TV stations. As for Serbia, we will now have the coverage of 98.37 per cent. The standard is 95 per cent. We will try to increase that. This is how we will finalised the digitalisation process in Serbia, which was officially finished on June 7, last year, when the coverage was 95 per cent”, he has said.
Minister has said that 224 emission stations in our country are equipped with the cutting edge digital technology meeting the highest European standards.
“Therefore we won’t need to procure new equipment in the next couple of years. In 1960, in the conference in Stockholm a plan was made regarding the largest emission stations in Europe, but due to various reasons the construction of these stations in our country took some time. This is why this event is historical”, he has said.
Mr Ljajić has concluded that this is an enormous benefit for Serbian citizens, since now they can have with an indoor antenna about 13 channels, and at some places even more, for free. The state has also great benefits from this, since so far the sale of ether brought 100 million euros. The EBRD has supported the digitalisation project with the 24 million euros loan. In addition to this load, the funds have been provided also by the Slovakian Government.
Mr Ljajić has praised the contractors who succeeded in saving funds, so the loan was diminished to 18 million. The EBRD Director to Serbia Daniel Berg is pleased with the cooperation with Minister Rasim Ljajić and the director of the PE “Emission technique and connections” Branko Gogić.
“They made this project finish on time and to make savings. Digitalisation is important for Serbia, since it strengthens its position on the market and opens new markets for new television services”, Mr Berg has said.
The event was attended also by the Mayor of Sombor Mrs Dušanka Golubović.
