To mark World Press Freedom Day, we asked our colleagues who have been, in one form or another, attacked between May 3, 2019 and May 3, 2020, to send us their quotes or opinions about the attacks, threats and harsh language used by politicians against them, or for conditions in the workplace and violation of their rights. The album also includes the quotes of the award-winning journalists of the annual journalism awards on May 3 last year.

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Për të shënuar Ditën Botërore të Lirisë së Shtypit, kërkuam nga kolegët tanë të cilët kanë qenë, në një formë apo tjetrën, të sulmuar ndërmjet periudhës 3 maj 2019 – 3 maj 2020, të na dërgojnë thënjet apo opinionet e tyre për sulmet, kërcënimet dhe gjuhën e ashpër të përdorur nga politikanët ndaj tyre, apo për kushtet në vendin e punës dhe shkeljen e të drejtave të tyre. Albumit i janë bashkuar edhe gazetarët fitues të çmimeve vjetore të gazetarisë më 3 maj të vitit të kaluar.

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Povodom obeležavanja Svetskog dana slobode štampe, zamolili smo naše kolege koji su, u jednom ili drugom obliku, bili napadnuti u periodu između 3. maja 2019. i 3. maja 2020. godine, da nam pošalju svoje izreke ili mišljenja o napadima, pretnjama i oštrom jeziku koji su političari koristili protiv njih,
odnosno mišljenja u vezi sa uslovima na radnom mestu i kršenju njihovih prava. Albumu su se pridružili i novinari dobitnici godišnjih novinarskih nagrada 3. maja prošle godine.

Some officials in municipalities or politicians, give themselves the right to blackmail, insult, threat and physically attack towards journalists and they do so through their subordinates, party exponents and clans. Such acts polarize society, violate freedom of expression and endanger democracy in the country, so their distancing from those actions is necessary. – Kajtaz Gecaj, Journalist

Neki zvaničnici u opštinama ili političari sebi daju za pravo da ucenjuju, psuju, vređaju, prete i fizički napadaju novinare, i to rade preko svojih podređenih, stranačkih eksponenata i klanova. Ovakvi postupci polariziraju društvo, krše slobodu izražavanja i ugrožavaju demokratiju u zemlji, pa je zato potrebno njihovo distanciranje od tih dela. – Kajtaz Gecaj, novinar

Women journalists are still excluded from decision-making positions and this is considered normal. A journalist woman is discouraged from being direct and confrontational with those who should be held accountable to the public. – Zana Cimili, Journalist

Žene novinarke su i dalje isključene iz pozicija donošenja odluka i to se smatra normalnim. Žena novinar je obeshrabrena da bude direktna i da se ne složi sa onima koji trebaju polagati račune javnosti. – Zana Cimili, novinarka

Due to the inability to face with language of arguments, some politicians unscrupulously choose attacks, threats and harsh language, sometimes directly and sometimes by their delegates. When we journalists get to this point, we call the fulfilled mission. Our truth is more “threatening” to them than their threats to us. Other difference is that their threats are criminal. – Paulina Nushi Muhaxhiri, Journalist

Neki političari u nemogućnosti da se suoče jezikom argumenata beskrupulozno biraju napade, pretnje i oštar jezik, ponekad direktno, a ponekad i putem svojih delegata. Kada mi novinari dođemo do ove tačke, misiju nazivamo ispunjenom. Naša istina je veća “pretnja” za njih nego njihove pretnje nad nama. Druga razlika je u tome što njihove pretnje predstavljanju krivično delo. – Paulina Nushi Muhaxhiri, novinarka

Attacks on journalists from whichever side they come from, I consider they are a great threat to freedom of expression in any society and danger to democracies. – Irfan Maliqi, Journalist

Smatram da napadi na novinare sa koje god strane došli, u bilo kojem društvu predstavljaju veliku pretnju slobodi izražavanja i opasnost za demokratije. – Irfan Maliqi, novinar

I am hindered from the truth, but I got up and continued the path. – Elmedina Ballazi, Journalist

Iako sam bila za istinom sprečena, ustala sam i nastavila svojim putem – Elmedina Ballazhi, novinarka

Physical attacks and threats against journalists violate and restrict freedom of expression, creating a frightening environment for reporting. Journalists needs to be and feel free to do their job. – Besnik Boletini, Journalist

Fizički napadi i pretnje novinarima narušavaju i ograničavaju slobodu izražavanja, stvarajući zastrašujuće okruženje za izveštavanje. Novinari treba da budu i da se osećaju slobodno u obavljanju svoje dužnosti. – Besnik Boletini, novinar

The conditions of media workers in general are not good. Prolonged working hours and contractless work are one of the main problems. – Arsim Rexhepi.

Uslovi medijskih radnika generalno nisu dobri. Produženo radno vreme i rad bez ugovora su jedni od osnovnih problema. – Arsim Rexhepi, Kamerman

AJK and Labor Inspectorate should do more, as many colleagues’ works without employment contracts, in difficult conditions – adding here the situation with COVID – 19 where most of them have either been fired or their monthly salary is reduced. – Nebih Maxhuni, Journalist

U vezi toga, UNK i Inspekcija rada trebaju da učine više, s obzirom na to da većina kolega radi bez ugovora o radu, u teškim uslovima – dodajmo ovde i situaciju sa COVID – 19, zbog koje većina njih je otpuštena ili im je mesečna plata smanjena. – Nebih Maxhuni, novinar

Journalists continue to face poor working conditions, especially in new media companies, where is done work on extended schedule, without contracts and with many responsibilities. AJK should raise these concerns, while the Labor Inspectorate should do its job. – Diamant Bajra, Journalist

Novinari se i dalje suočavaju sa lošim uslovima rada, posebno u novim medijskim kompanijama, gde se radi prekovremeno, bez ugovora i sa mnogim odgovornostima. UNK bi trebalo da izrazi svoju zabrinutost, dok bi Inspekcija rada trebalo da obavlja svoj posao. – Diamant Bajra, novinar

When the right of public to know what is happening inside and outside politics and other situations is threatened, the role of the free press importance increases even more! – Norë Kelmendi,

Journalist Kada je ugroženo pravo javnosti da zna šta se dešava unutar i izvan politike, kao i drugih situacija, tada se značaj uloge slobodne štampe još više povećava! – Norë Kelmendi, novinarka

Harsh language, attacks and threats are the strategy of the weak towards media. If you are trying to suppress free media, be aware that you have declared war on democracy. – Artina Muçiqi, Journalist

Oštar jezik, napadi i pretnje su strategije slabića nad medijima. Ako pokušate da potisnete slobodne medije, znajte da ste objavili rat demokratiji. – Artina Muçiqi, novinarka

Protecting media freedom means defending your freedom. Otherwise, without free journalism, you don’t matter, because your voice can’t be heard. ” – Mejreme Gashi, Journalist

Braniti slobodu medija znači braniti vašu slobodu. Inače, bez slobodnog novinarstva ti nisi bitan, jer se tvoj glas ne može čuti.” – Mejreme Gashi, novinarka

While there are many media outlets in Kosovo, not all working staff are journalists. I agree with the fact that there are editorial policies running by politics or business. What I disagree is that they are described as a newsroom, freedom fighters and guardian of the public interest. – Tatjana Lazarević, Journalist

I dok postoje mnoge medijske redakcije na Kosovu, nisu svi oni koji u njima rade novinari. Nemam ništa protiv činjenice da postoje uređivačke politike koje su pod političkim uticajem ili uticajem biznisa. Ono što nije u redu jeste to da se takve redakcije proglašavaju za novinarske, za borce slobode štampe, branioce javnog interesa. – Tatjana Lazarević, novinarka

Journalist is entity in danger and dangerous. Despite doing a noble, stressful, dynamic, and stressful job, journalists are usually low pay. They are also easily
physically assaulted and verbally lynched by politicians and powerful people. Therefore, financially and physically, they are always in dangerous. However, when journalist reports responsibly, he is a dangerous being to all those who break law. – Mirlind Behluli, Journalist

Novinar je biće u opasnosti a i opasno je. Iako obavljaju plemenit, pot pritiskom, dinamičan i veoma stresan posao, novinari su uglavnom malo plaćeni. Takođe, političari i moćni ljudi ih lako fizički napadaju i verbalno linčuju. Prema tome su, u finansijskom i fizičkom smislu, uvek izloženi opasnosti. Međutim, kada novinar izveštava odgovorno, ono je opasno biće sa sve one koji krše zakon. – Mirlind Behluli, novinar

Some politicians are surprised even themselves by their threats against journalists. Because when they think that threats will stop the truth and free speech, we boldly despair them. As more as they threat, we don’t silence, but we dare more! – Denis Galushi, Journalist

Neki političari su i sami začuđeni svojim pretnjama nad novinarima. Jer, kada misle de će pretnjama zaustaviti istinu i slobodu govora, mi ih s našom hrabrošću razočaramo. Što nam više prete, ne ćutimo, već smo čak i više smeliji! – Denis Galushi, novinar

SARAJEVO, 30.04.2020. – The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association and the Free Media Help Line send a public protest to Fahrudin Solak, director of the Federal Civil Protection Directorate, over his request to the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office of Sarajevo Canton to urgently initiate an investigation in order to examine “biased and false allegations” in connection with the procurement of one hundred respirators, worth 10.5 million convertible marks.

In his request to the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office, director Solak states, among other things, that “in the last few days, untrue media reports have been published against the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Civil Protection Headquarters, as well as the Government body managing the protection and rescue operations and the Federal Civil Protection Directorate as an expert service, in connection with the procurement of respirators for medical facilities due to the coronavirus virus pandemic.” Furthermore, Mr. Solak requests from the investigating authorities to “promptly investigate and examine biased and false allegations. “

After most media outlets in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been reporting in detail over the past few days about the non-transparent and extremely suspicious purchase of respirators, approved by Fahrudin Solak with his signature, he and his associates are now manipulatively trying responsibility for any illegal activities, that have yet to be determined, to transfer on journalists and media outlets?! Such actions are a brutal attack on freedom of the media and freedom of expression, and the misuse of the crisis and Covid-19 to prevent journalists from carrying out their tasks.

The BHJA Steering Committee and the Free Media Help Line strongly condemn Fahrudin Solak’s request to the Sarajevo Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office, which not only contains false accusations against journalists and the media, but vividly illustrates the complete ignorance and denial of the role of the media in a democratic society. It is shameful and unacceptable that Mr. Solak and other persons involved in the procurement of respirators try to direct the interest of the investigative organs to the media that have been reporting on the said purchase in the most responsible, professional way, and corroborated with official documents.

We emphasize that this is not the first time that representatives of the authorities, or even of the judicial authorities in BiH, have labeled, as the main “culprits” for various affairs, journalists and the media who have disclosed those affairs and made them public. This kind of a request to the Cantonal Prosecutor’s Office is not only a direct attack by representatives of federal institutions on journalists and media outlets in BiH, as well as violation of the right to freedom of expression and information of citizens, but also an attempt of unlawfully institutionalized influence and pressure on investigative bodies dealing with this case.

About all of the above, the BH Journalists and the Free Media Help Line will inform all relevant domestic and foreign organizations and institutions dealing with the protection of media rights and freedoms, as well as representatives of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.