<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2015-03-19</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000925645</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CENTRAL EUROPEAN MEDIA ENTERPRISES LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CETV</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001473721</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Del Nin Michael</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CME MEDIA SERVICES LIMITED BRANCH</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>KRIZENECKEHO NAM. 1078/5A</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PRAGUE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>2N</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15200</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CZECH REPUBLIC</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>co-Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, par value $0.08 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2015-03-19</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>7126</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>2.6561</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10689</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $2.63 to $2.68, inclusive.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The transactions reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan adopted by the Reporting Person.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Lucia Laurincova on behalf of Michael Del Nin</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2015-03-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
