Podgorica, (MINA) – Certain provisions from the Draft Law on Media may result in restricting media freedom and cause state interference in the editorial and financial autonomy of media, representatives of several media and journalist organizations have noted.
At a press conference marking 23 January, the national day of journalists, they stated that Montenegro needs a good media law and that the most problematic aspects of the current draft law are the provisions about the protection of sources, financing of media pluralism, integrity of journalists and media self-regulation.
Representatives of the Center for Investigative Journalism (CIN) Association of Professional Journalists, Media Institute, Media Center and the Media Trade Union told the press conference that they would propose amendments to the Draft Law.
Slavoljub Scekic of CIN said that the two key elements of the media law include protection of sources and protection of media pluralism.
Scekic argues that the already acquired level of media freedom should not be restricted, since under Article 21 of the current law, journalists are not obliged to reveal their source even to the court.
The second key aspect, he claims, is the protection of media pluralism, which boils down to a national fund for media.
Scekic believes that the amount of money earmarked for around 80 media outlets is too low and that the funds should not be distributed by the Agency for Electronic Media, but rather by a body comprising members delegated by media outlets themselves.
Secretary General of the Association of Professional Journalists and member of the working group tasked with drafting the Law on Media Mila Radulovic has said that the current version of the law requires journalists to disclose their sources in court.
President of the Media Trade Union Marijana Camovic underlined the importance of reducing the influence of media owners on editorial offices.
“That is something that the Council of Europe experts have found, namely that the owners are interfering greatly in journalists’ work, but after none of the safeguards against are included in the current draft law,” Camovic said.
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