m! M at the conference “Facts are Important”

In Montenegro, there is a documented continuity of regression in the media sphere, which is visible in open censorship, self-censorship and covert censorship, and strong political pressures, which peaked in the pratial occupation of the public service of the Radio Television of Montenegro, were evaluated by the executive director of CGO Daliborka Uljarevic at the conference “Facts Are Important”, organized by this NGO within the project with the same name, with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

“This regression is visible in open censorship, which involves attacks on journalists and the media themselves, which are multiplied without an adequate outcome. Consequently, there is self-censorship, because in a country where it is easy to imprison physically threaten journalists, fewer people who want to venture into the danger of being targeted by exploring topics that threaten the bearers of power. Also, through the so-called. covert censorship using discretionary powers in the distribution of public funds creates unfair competition on the media market and endangers the sustainability of the media, “said Uljarević. She assessed that all this had a reflection on the disregard of ethical and professional standards. The Minister of Culture Aleksandar Bogdanović said that , adopting a system of European values, Montenegro continuously normatively and institutionally promotes freedom of expression as a fundamental human right and the basis of a democratic society. “Establishing an ambience for free, professional and ethical media reporting, are the cornerstones of European reforms to which Montenegro is truly committed” , Bogdanović pointed out.

He recalled that the normative environment was assessed on several occasions by the European Commission as “a good level of legal compliance.” Co-ordinator for Council of Europe (SE) Expert Council Lejla Dervišagić reminded that this organization made the expertise of the Media Act, at the request of the Ministry culture. “The public hearing was held in February. After comments are included, this law will come once more on SE’s expertise. The second is the Public Broadcasting Law of the RTCG, which was also analyzed by SE experts, and a public hearing was held in March in Montenegro. We also work on the expertise of the Law on Electronic Media, whose draft is being drafted, “said Dervišagić. According to official data, in our report, from 2004 to date, there have been 85 attacks on journalists and media assets, the most serious ones being the murder of Dusko Jovanovic, the attempted murder of Olivera Lakic, the case of Tufik Softic, to those who are lighter, some of whom are qualified as misdemeanors, “said Markovic. The main and responsible editor of the Antenna M Darko Sukovic said that it is important to point out two aspects – poor quality of journalism in Montenegro and irresponsibility for the public word.

“In that I see a big part of the problems of the Montenegrin media scene and Montenegrin diplomacy,” said Suković. According to him, as far as the situation on the ground is concerned, an adequate formulation could be “facts should be important” and how much important, every day we see the accompanying Montenegrin newsletters. “The coordinator for development in the CCE, Damir Nikočević, said that the project” Chains are important “contributed to the establishment of a more favorable environment for free, professional and ethical reporting of the media without external pressures, so that journalists in a better way, they reported on the complex process of democratization and Europeanization of Montenegro.He said that numerous project activities including research stories and debates, as well as proposals for improving the Draft Law on Media, amendments to the Law on Electronic Media and the Law on Public Broadcasters RTCG, and the project, he said, included working on four studies on samurai regulation, financing of media from public funds and the work of public service RTCG.

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