Podgorica, (MINA) – Freedom of media is a precondition for democracy and safety of journalists is the exclusive responsibility of the state, it was heard at a regional conference hosted by the Media Trade Union in Podgorica on Thursday.
The two-day conference entitled “Media Freedom and Safety of Journalists in the Western Balkans” marks the conclusion of a three-year project carried out by the Western Balkans Platform, a network comprising 8,000 journalists and media professionals from six countries of the region.
Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pazin told the conference that freedom of media is a precondition for the existence of all other attributes of democracy.
He noted that the media community itself needs to meet a number of condition in order to ensure full media freedom.
As the first condition, the DPM named the lack of universal independent media self-regulation.
He announced that the Government will spare no money and effort to support the principle of universal independent self-regulation if such consensus should be reached within the media community, without any intention of interference in the independence of self-regulation.
Pazin stressed that another important aspect is the need for independence of journalists, not only from external influences, but within their own media outlets.
The Deputy Prime Minister described as worrying the finding from the Media Trade Union’s study that around 80% of journalists are experiencing pressures within their media companies, from editors, managers and owners.
This, he remarked, goes against the public perception that this pressure is coming predominantly from politicians or government representatives.
Pazin noted that the third important parameter is the socio-economic position of journalists, which he described as quite worrying.
“Because the fact that around 800 journalists in Montenegro receive salaries below the national average, while every third journalists is paid less than 400 EUR per month, is something we cannot accept and which in itself points to the problem in the area of media freedom.”
He remarked that journalists with whose financial existential is under threat cannot be free and cannot perform their duties with full professional responsibility.
“With the new media law, the Government will support establishment of the Media Fund, in order to encourage media freedom, in order for the media to find their place in the society and ensure their sustainability, but at the same time we expect the media to take care of the financial status of journalist,” Pazin said.
Referring to the safety of journalists, he said that this is an absolute responsibility of the state and that there must be no compromise in that respect.
He recalled that in 2018 there have been four cases of violence against journalists, three of which have been investigated and prosecuted.
“The most painful one, the attack on Olivera Lakic, is still not fully investigated and is still a cause for justifiable concern within the society.”
Pazin reiterated that the police and the prosecution authorities are expected to fully investigate this case, adding that the result of the investigations will be the benchmark in assessing the performance of the persons working on those cases.
Head of the EU Delegation in Montenegro Aivo Orav stressed that the legal system needs to protect journalists, in order to enable them to perform their duties with full independence.
“Freedom of expression is one of the key issues in a free society and a key indicator of the country’s readiness to be part of the EU,” Orav stressed.
He noted that the media community needs to establish a self-regulation body that will be observed by all media outlets in Montenegro.
Dutch Ambassador Henk van de Dool underlined that media freedom is irreplaceable in a democratic society.
“As long as people are not breaking the law, the government must not interfere in what they are saying or their rights,” the Dutch Ambassador said.
According to him, independent and pluralistic media are critical for an open and free society.
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