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 the open censorship, self-censorship and covert censorship, and strong political pressures stand out, said the executive director of the CGO Daliborka Uljarević at the conference “Facts are important,” organized by the NGO within the same project, with the support of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

“This regression is visible in the open censorship, involving attacks on journalists and the media itself, which can multiply without adequate outcome. Consequently, there is self-censorship, because in a country where it is easy to physically threaten journalists without any punishment, there are fewer and fewer of those who want to engage in danger of being targets, exploring themes that threaten the positions of power. Also, they create an unfair competition in the media market that threatens the sustainability of the media, “said Uljarević.

Coordinator for the expertise of the Council of Europe (CoE) Lejla Dervišagić reminded that this organization made the expertise of the Media Act, at the request of the Ministry of Culture. 
“A public hearing was held in February. After inclusion of comments, this law will come onceagain for SE expertise. The second is the public broadcasting law RTCG, which was also analyzed by the SE experts, and the  public discussion was held in March in Montenegro. We are also doing the expertise of the Law on Electronic Media, whose draft is under way “, said Dervišagić.
“According to official data, in our report, from 2004 until today, there have been 85 attacks on journalists and media assets, from the most serious such as murder of Dusko Jovanovic, to the assassination attempt of Olivera Lakic, case Tufik Softic, to those of lighter, some of which are qualified as a misdemeanor, “said Markovic.

Development Coordinator at CGO Damir Nikočević said that basically the “price lists are important” contribution to establishing a favorable environment for leisure, professional and ethical media reporting without external pressures and to enable journalists to report about the complex process of democratization and Europeanisation of Montenegro . 

He said a number of project activities had been realized, including investigative stories and debates, as well as suggestions for improving the draft Media Law, amendments to the Law on Electronic Media and the Law on the public broadcaster RTCG, and the project as he said, included the work on four studies on self-regulation, regulation, media financing from public funds and work of the public broadcaster RTCG.

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