Serbia targeting pirates

World Brief

By JOHN NADLER

Broadcast authorities will set up a commission to end cable piracy to stave off sanctions from Western Europe and the U.S., the government announced Monday.

The taskforce will advise on legislation, law-enforcement and regulations needed to end Serbia's status as a haven for black marketeers, particularly the unlawful transmission of copyright material via cable TV.

Serbia has taken steps to curb piracy, including implementing regs in the Telecommunications Act that curb copyright in-fringement over cable and passing a law that makes it a criminal offence, punishable by five years' imprisonment, to air pirated material.