PODGORICA, 16.04.2020. – The European Union has urged to the Montenegrin authorities to strike a balance between promoting freedom of expression and proportional treatment in an effort to avoid the spread of panic and misinformation during a corona virus pandemic.

This was reported by European Commission (EC) spokeswoman Ana Pisonero, responding to numerous arrests in Montenegro because the spread of panic, by posting false information about the corona virus via social networks.

“Freedom of expression is a core value of the EU and a key element of Montenegro’s EU accession process”, Pisonero warned in a statement to Radio Free Europe.

In Montenegro, there have been a series of arrests of private individuals who posted false information on their accounts through social networks.

The latest case was reported this Sunday, when Radovan Rakocevic from Bijelo Polje, was arrested for sharing news from a tabloid form Serbia stating that “Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic was infected with a coronavirus”.

Rakocevic was sentenced to 72 hours’ detention but released after investigative authorities rejected a motion to order custody.

SARAJEVO, 15.04.2020. – The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association and the Free Media Help Line strongly condemn the intrusion into the editorial office of Faktor.ba portal and the threats to journalists and editors of this portal, for publishing a text about arson and shooting at Vraca, Sarajevo.

According to Faktor, two women unauthorized entered the premises of the portal on April 14, and with direct threats and curses addressed to the employees who found themselves in the newsroom at that moment, demanded that the article be removed. After that, the man Faktor wrote about called the editorial office by phone, asking for the text to be removed and threatening to come to the Faktor’s premises with his lawyer. This is a person who is known to police authorities and convicted of various crimes.

The BH Journalists Steering Committee and the Free Media Help Line point out that attacks and pressures on journalists who do their jobs professionally are completely unacceptable in a democratic society and represent a serious threat on the freedom of expression and safety of journalists. We commend the prompt and professional response of the Sarajevo Canton MoI during the filing of a report of an attack on the editorial office of Faktor, and we require all relevant institutions to conduct an urgent investigation into this case and prosecute responsible persons in accordance with the law.

Also, the BH Journalists Steering Committee appeals to parliamentarians in both BiH entities, Brcko District and the state level to adopt, as soon as possible, amendments to criminal laws that would enhance criminal policy in relation to attacks on journalists. The increasing number of physical and verbal assaults and threats against journalists, which Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recording year after year, is a direct consequence of impunity or relatively mild sanctions against the attackers. Competent prosecutor’s offices and courts must do their job professionally, effectively and within a legal framework that will send a clear message to everyone that attacks on journalists, the media outlets and freedom of expression will not and should not be tolerated.

PRISHTINË, 15.04.2020 – Asociacioni i Gazetarëve të Kosovës, dënon ashpër kërcënimet dhe linçimet ndaj gazetarit, Fidan Jupolli nga Televizioni 7.

Gazetari Jupolli ka shprehur shqetësimin se, është duke marrë në vazhdimësi kërcënime me likuidim ose dëbim nga Kosova, derisa të mërkurën rastin e ka lajmëruar edhe në Policinë e Kosovës.

SARAJEVO, 15.04.2020. – Mostar’s daily newspapers Dnevni List these days could lock their doors permanently due to the economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictive measures by governments, says Dario Lukic, editor-in-chief of the newspaper, in an interview with Radio Free Europe (RSE).

“I must also say that we have already addressed many international and domestic institutions for help, but we have received a smooth rejection from all addresses. It is clear to me that local politicians are not comfortable with independent media and that they even wish their downfall during the crisis, so I was really disappointed by the behavior of the international community, which would seem to literally allow us to ‘drop dead’. We are coming slowly but surely to the situation that only politically fit media will survive, as well as those who are forced to sell their independence for a tiny bit of money”, says Lukic.

Layoffs in the media outlets

The media group, which features the daily Oslobodjenje and the O Channel, has fired about 17 employees these days, as editor-in-chief of Oslobodjenje, Vildana Selimbegovic, confirmed for RSE.
Among them is journalist Sladjan Tomic, who tells RSE that he has been told he is no longer needed.

“On Wednesday, we found out that 15 colleagues from Oslobodjenje had been fired and that television was next on the line. On Thursday, while recording a news story, the secretary of the newly appointed director called me and said that the director wanted to see me. On my return from the field I saw some colleagues saying goodbye because they got fired. I knew what was waiting for me. I went to the CEO and he told me that the cash flow at the company was getting smaller and that more than 15 people were technologically redundant, and I was among them”, says Tomic.

What is the reason for the layoffs?

The editor-in-chief of Oslobodjenje Vildana Selimbegovic explains to RSE that since March 8 clients have started massively canceling advertising campaigns to the media outlets, including Oslobodjenje.

“In accordance with the situation, we first started working from home, and since we do not know how long the crisis will last, we reduced the number of pages of the newspaper, as well as the content and therefore the volume of work. We were left without about 40 percent of the sales points because almost everything is closed. In such a situation, we had to take action and let go a number of workers”, Selimbegovic said, adding that there was no help on either side.

“The authorities here are more interested in their army of voters than in the real sector, in which I truly include the media. However, I still hope that we will succeed in surviving”, Selimbegovic said.

Loss of marketing income

Milorad Labus, president of the Republika Srpska Journalists’ Association, told RSE that advertising campaigns, congresses and conferences were also canceled in that BiH entity ‘overnight’.

“Businesses are closed and commercial media remain at about 10 to 15 percent of marketing revenue. We have approached the RS government and asked for help. We expect a meeting by the end of the week to discuss the situation”, Labus said.

In addition to the economic crisis in the media, the Government of Republika Srpska (RS) has a decision banning panic and disorder during emergency situation, which applies to the media and journalists, as well as to healthcare professionals. The fines range up to 9,000 KM (4,500 euros).

Labus says this decision is still under discussion, as it is not clearly defined who would decide exactly what triggered panic in news reports based on information from official institutions and how would police impose penalties, ex officio or by citizens reports.

Is it posssible to have a media aid fund?

On April 13, the Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association called on media employers in Bosnia and Herzegovina to halt layoffs for journalists and other media employees as an economic measure and response to the financial crisis within the media industry caused by the virus corona epidemic and drastic cuts in commercial and other revenues.

Borka Rudic, a representative of the Association, tells RSE that they have appealed to both authorities and international donors.

“I emphasize that in an emergency, the media is left without 80 percent of marketing and sales income. We believe that in this situation, letting the media outlets close also has a political connotation that aims to close all those who are not politically influenced, do not work in the interest of politics and who want to engage in professional and responsible journalism”, emphasizes Rudic.

The BH Journalists Association proposes the establishment of a state-level fund that will use the excess revenues of the BiH Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK), but, as Rudic said, provided that funds are not distributed by any state body but by a separate body of the Regulatory Agency.

The Association recalls that it was “the media and journalists who were the service of all citizens and the key transmitters of information regarding the corona virus epidemic.”

PODGORICA, 15.04.2020. – A round-table or similar open-ended event will be organized when the epidemiological situation stabilizes, the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) announced yesterday about the public debate on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information.

Earlier, numerous NGOs and journalists, as well as international organizations dealing with the transparency of public administration, appealed to the ministry and the Government not to hold a public hearing during the Covid 19 epidemic.

The MPA also reminds that in the current version of the Draft Law, which according to the European Commission can be submitted to the Government, and in relation to the first Draft Law which was at the public hearing, numerous proposals of NGOs and the EC were adopted.

“Thus, two key suggestions were considered and accepted, and the introduction of an abusive institution and amendment of the rules on costs in the administrative procedure and administrative dispute were rejected and each party would bear its own costs, regardless of success. I believe we once again affirm the commitment of the Government of Montenegro and the Ministry of Public Administration for co-operation and dialogue with NGOs and the media, especially in the context of enhancing transparency of public policies”, concluded the MPA.

PRISTINA, 14.04.2020 – Association of Journalists of Kosovo, tomorrow (April 15) will begin distributing protective materials to journalists, cameramen and photojournalists.

The donation provided by the Kosovo Foundation for Open Society (KFOS) includes 313 FFP2 respirators, 313 latex gloves and 313 500 ml disinfectants.  The value of one package per person is 17.50 euros.

AJK has asked the newsrooms to send only the names of journalists, cameramen and field reporters, who are exposed most at risk of being attacked by the Covid-19 virus. Despite the request with the names of our colleagues who are almost on the front line with this pandemic, in the address of AJK we have accepted among others the names of technicians, moderators, editors and even the names of media managers.

Due of impossibility to help all media workers and in order none of our colleagues working in the field not to remain without protection, AJK staff is working voluntarily to extend the distribution procedure, with the sole purpose- distribuing protective materials to our colleagues working in the field, who are in direct danger from this pandemic.

Starting from tomorrow, April 15, until Friday, April 17, from 10:00 to 16:00, journalists, cameramen and photojournalists can receive their packages at the AJK offices. They can also take the package for their colleagues from the same medium, but they must have their work ID (in printed, photographed, scanned form …), which specifies the name/surname and the position in the medium.

AJK will continue its commitment to receive other donations, in order to help the community we represent and make it easier for our colleagues to work during this global pandemic.

SARAJEVO, 13.04.2020. – The Steering Committee of the BH Journalists Association urges media employers in BiH, media owners and board members to stop layoffs of journalists and other media professionals as an economic measure and response to the financial crisis within the media industry, caused by the coronavirus epidemic and drastic reductions in commercial and other revenues.

With regret and protest, BH Journalists received information about the termination of the employment contracts to a significant number of journalists and other media professionals in the Oslobodjenje company, as well as announcing similar procedures in at least 10 media outlets in different parts of the country.

BH Journalists are urging the owners and the management of Oslobodjenje to reconsider their decision, try to retain people and look for other, alternative ways of overcoming financial difficulties. We are fully aware of the fact that, as a journalist’s association, we have no legal authority, nor can we determine to the owners of the media outlets, including the owners of Oslobodjenje, what economic measures they will bring, but we can demand that the reduction of the number of employees, if necessary, be carried out lawfully, without discrimination, in consultation with the union of employees and with full protection of the labor and social rights of journalists.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists also warns that reducing the number of media employees can only temporarily halt or delay the economic collapse that threatens all media in BiH in the next six months. Crisis staffs, governments at all levels or relevant media organizations have not yet taken urgent measures to economically save the media industry and preserve the public function of the media, which was their task!

We therefore urge the relevant governments, media institutions and international donors to form an emergency media fund, the funds of which will enable the production of professional and diverse media content in the public interest. Since the declaration of emergency and the state of the disaster in BiH, the media outlets and journalists have been a service to all citizens and key transmitters of information regarding the coronavirus epidemic, with no indication from the authorities that they are ready to help the media outlets survive financially. If they do not do so soon, BH Journalists will invite the media to boycott all press conferences and events organized by BiH authorities and crisis staffs.