PODGORICA, 04.07.2019. – The EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) is still concerned with the state of freedom of expression and the environment in which Montenegrin media operate, especially when it comes to the investigations of attacks against journalists and political interference and pressure on the Public Broadcaster Servis Radio Television of Montenegro (RTCG).

The critically oriented NGOs are not welcomed on RTCG and that their work is mainly portrayed through a negative lens, it was concluded at the thirteenth meeting of JCC.

„The JCC once again urges the Montenegrin authorities to effectively investigate both old and recent cases of violence against journalists as well as to identify and prosecute the perpetrators and those that are behind the attacks, and to facilitate the work of the ad hoc Commission monitoring cases of violence against the media. Furthermore, the JCC appeals on Montenegrin authorities to provide equal chances for functioning of all media, regardless of their editorial policy and to implement relevant recommendations of the Joint Programme of the Council of Europe and the EU “Reinforcing Judicial Expertise on Freedom of Expression and the Media in South-East Europe (JUFREX)”, It is stated in the joint statement from the meeting.

The members od JCC are once again emphasised the importance of independed CSOs being effectively involved in all aspects of policymaking and in EU accession negotiations, and it highlights the role of CSOs when it comes to improving the overall democratic environment in Montenegro.

As specified, the JCC is still concerned about the negative environment in which certain CSOs operate, especially the NGOs who is critically oriented of governmental policies in the area of the rule of law. They mentioned the controversial dismissal of NGO representatives from key institutions and bodies such as the RTCG Council, the Anti-corruption Agency and the Agency for Electronic Media.

The JCC directed the requests to the Montenegrian authorities to revise the legal framework in order to enable free access to information, without unnecessary restrictions. The board notes the growing trend of public institutions declaring information as classified as a matter of serious concern.

At the same time, JCC praised the implementation of the Law on NGOs and the establishment of a functioning mechanism for co-financing EU-funded projects, although they reported some difficulties when it comes to organizing consultations before publishing open calls for funding. Also, the members of JCC invite the Montenegrin government to enable access to co-financing not only to NGOs, but also to other types of CSOs.

The EU-Montenegro Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) is one of the bodies set up under the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between the European Union and Montenegro. It enables civil society organisations from both sides to monitor Montenegro’s progress towards joining the European Union and to adopt recommendations for the attention of the Montenegrin government and the EU institutions. The JCC is made up of twelve members, six from each side, representing the EESC and Montenegrin civil society.

SKOPJE, 02.07.2019 – The unprecedented and insolent attitude followed by threats to lawsuits against journalists shadowed today’s press conference held by Dragi Rashkovski, Secretary General of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. Such direct threats to initiate judicial proceedings against journalists by government officials are a pressure on journalists that may result with self-censorship.

The Secretary General of the Government needs to know that by not responding to journalistic questions during the press conference, which was organized personally by him, but also with the impassioned attitude towards certain journalists present at the event, it violates the concept of openness and transparency that the Government is trying to promote.

We remind Rashkovski that if he is dissatisfied with the ethical standards of a specific journalistic or media product, then he can make a complaint to the media self-regulatory bodies.

The high representatives of the Government, but also the public figures that are part of the political scene, need to have higher level of tolerance when they are criticized by journalists. They need to know that lawsuits for defamation and insult to journalists are an unpopular method which was used in the past, and it has negatively affected the freedom of expression and contributed to Macedonia being poorly rated on the world media freedom indexes.

Sarajevo, 02.07.2019. – The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association (BHJA) publicly condemns the direct involvement of political parties in the work of JP Televizija Sarajevo (TVSA) through the process of appointing the management of this media and creating media content, and requests from the Assembly and Sarajevo Canton Government to conduct this process in accordance with European standards of media freedom and the values ​​of public information in the interest of all citizens.

BH Journalists find unacceptable any political games and calculations related to the appointment of new TVSA management, which is why we seek to acknowledge the professional competences and knowledge of all candidates submitted to the vacancy, including media experience, knowledge of journalistic ethics, and in particular the mission and role of local public media. The only legitimate task of the Assembly and the Sarajevo Canton Government, as the founder of TVSA, is to create the conditions for the political and financial independence of this television, work in the public interest and all citizens of Canton Sarajevo, as well as professional and ethical treatment in all segments of the program.

With this in mind, the BH Journalists Steering Committee draws attention to the inadmissible demands of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and its prominent members in connection with individual TVSA programs, the emphasis on so-called “patriotic” versus professional and responsible journalism, and organizing chains on social networks against Kristina Ljevak, performer of duty of the director of this media and one of the candidates for that position in the vacancy that is just completed. For BH Journalists Steering Committee it is also unacceptable to calculate and pre-allocate positions on TVSA between the ruling coalition parties, and we explicitly require transparent and lawful conduct of the vacancy in accordance with the conditions prescribed by its procedures, guaranteeing the selection of professionally most competent persons to the managerial and program positions in this media .

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists reminds current authorities as well as opposition parties in the Sarajevo Canton on more than twenty years of unpopular political struggle for the overwhelming influence of one political party over editorial and program concepts of TVSA. At the same time, inadmissible breaches of journalists rights to freedom of expression and dignified work were recorded, and political propaganda and censorship were inseparable from previous editorial policies. Such practice must finally end, since the Sarajevo Canton, as part of the latest EU requirements for BiH as a state, has taken on the obligation to regulate public information in accordance with the European standards of freedom of expression and the work of the public media in the interest of the public and citizens, and not any political parties or governments.

The Steering Committee of BH Journalists Association

BEOGRAD, 02.07.2019. – Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije (NUNS) najoštrije osuđuje preteće poruke upućene novinaru Nenadu Kulačinu i književniku Marku Vidojkoviću, autorima i voditeljima emisije „Dobar, loš, zao“ koja se emituje na TV Šabac.

U komentarima ispod emisije na Jutjub kanalu, sa profila pod nazivom Srđan Petrović upućena je pretnja Vidojkoviću i Kulačinu, da će ih „kada dođe na vlast, pobiti“.

NUNS je o pretnjama Vidojkoviću i Kulačinu obavestio nadležno Tužilaštvo za visokotehnološki kriminal jer smatra da tolerancija ovakvih pretnji samo dodatno podstiče ionako masovno verbalno ali i fizičko nasilje.

Krivičnim zakonikom za delo ugrožavanja sigurnosti osoba koje obavljaju posao u informisanju zaprećena je zatvorska kazna od šest meseci do pet godina zatvora.

Sekretarijat NUNS-a

U Beogradu 2.07.2019.

BANJA LUKA, 29.06.2019. – Mobing and discrimination are the most common forms of human rights violations of female journalists in media companies, which is why it is necessary to educate female journalists about their rights and encourage them to use legal and institutional protection more – emphasized the participants of a workshop on “The Position and Protection of Female Journalists in BH Media“, held in Banja Luka, organized by BH Journalists Association (BHJA).

The intention of the BH Journalists is that through strengthening the network of women in journalism, mutual solidarity and the advancement of knowledge on legal and institutional mechanisms for the protection of women’s human rights, improve the position of female journalists and motivate them to fight for equal access to managerial and editorial positions, as well as to be equal with their male colleagues in the distribution of influence and power in the media.

In Bosnian media, only 24 percent of editorial and director positions belong to women.

– In most cases it is considered that women can not be in a higher position due to gender bias because they are considered “weaker” than male colleagues and as if they can not perform their tasks in the same way. We in the editorial board of „Nezavisne“ are demanting this daily. I think that women can perform these duties with the same quality and even better because they are more sensitive to the majority of needs of female and male journalists, including all the weight of performing journalistic tasks – said Sandra Gojkovic-Arbutina, the editor-in-chief of „Nezavisne novine“.

She added that during her long-standing journalistic and editorial career, she learned how important it is for a male or female editor to go through all the positions in journalism before they meet the editorial office.

– This way I can understand my female and male colleagues better, their needs and expectations from editors – said Gojkovic-Arbutina.

In protecting female journalists the support of their media house is especially important, as well as support of colleagues and the solidarity of all journalists in cases of threats, attacks or other forms of violence, says Gordana Katana, correspondent of “Oslobođenje” from Banja Luka.

– It is a daunting fact that colleagues will not stand behind those who get threats or if their other rights are violated – said Katana.

With the support and solidarity of colleagues, in her opinion, it is important to understand the other needs of colleagues who are exposed to long-lasting pressures or verbal violence: “Psychological support is important and the struggle to preserve not only physical, but also mental health.”

The lack of confidence in institutions and organizations whose job is to deal with cases of breaches of journalists’ rights, insufficient support from the media and the colleagues are just some of the reasons why female journalists almost never report violations of their rights. Fatima Becirovic from the Gender Center of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has pointed out that it is very important for woman journalist to recognize and report any type of attack, abuse, even any form of allusion about her appearance, behavior and the way she performs journalistic tasks.

– The attack on female journalists has a gender dimension because it includes their family, family life, the way they look and dress… – Becirovic said, emphasizing once again that judicial proceedings concerning gender violence last long and they’re often not effective, but they are still the only way to protect a victim of violence and gain legal satisfaction for everything she has suffered.

Female journalists in the Republic of Srpska and all over BiH are more exposed to verbal attacks, sexism and other forms of sex discrimination and intimidation than their male colleagues. Even in communication with women journalists a different language is used. For Milkica Milojevic, journalist of EuroBlic, a problem is in particularly long term part-time work or illegal work without any contract, application, payment of health insurance and other taxes and contributions.

– Colleagues often get contracts for a certain time due to the alleged “fear” of the employer that a female journalist, as soon as she gets a permanent employment contract, is going to want to extend her family, go to sick leave or something similar! Such approach is inadmissible and inspections have to include in checking the working status of female journalists and employers behavior much more – Milojevic said, adding that, unfortunately, she also had experience with women managers and editors who were not more sensitive or more fair to female journalists.

More than 20 participants of the workshop – journalists, representatives of NGOs, activists and human rights defenders from Banja Luka, Bihać, Sarajevo and Bosanska Krupa, publicly supported Vanja Stokic, the editor of the portal E-trafika, as she is exposed daily to the unjustified treatment from the police while performing her journalistic tasks in the yard of the church Christ the Savior in Banja Luka, where citizens gather with the request to clarify the case of tragically deceased young man David Dragicevic. The workshop participants will request by an official letter from the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior to stop the repression of journalist Vanja Stokic.

The workshop in Banja Luka was held under the project “Strengthening the Network of Female Journalists in BiH”, implemented by BH Journalists through the USAID Independent Media Empowerment Program (IMEP) and with the support of Free Press Unlimited from Holland.

PODGORICA, 28.06.2019.  – The Minister of culture Aleksandar Bogdanovic, the Managing Director of Montenegrin Public Broadcaster Service Radio Television of Montenegro Bozidar Sundic and the representatives of trade unions Jadranka Drobnjak and Slavica Kruscic, signed today the collective agreement for RTCG.

For the first time, the economic and social position of employees in RTCG will be legally regulated with the collective agreement.  In this way, the professional position of employees will be moved a step forward because the lack of this document made various pressures and discrimination in the Public Broadcaster Service possible.

With this document, salaries of the employees will be increased slightly after more than a decade in which they were at the same level.  The increase in average is just a few dozen euros, but it will represent the minimum that ensures the dignity of employees.

The President of the Trade Union of RTCG, which operates within the framework of the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG), Jadranka Drobnjak said that a valid collective agreement in the Public Broadcaster Service has not existed for almost 10 years and that the salary for that time largely stagnated or went lower.

“This is a great day in which the standard of the employees, who under such hard circumstances managed to pull off such great and responsible work, greatly improved. I want to assure you that it will now be even better and that they were greeted with the knowledge that we care for them in here”, she pointed out, adding the fact that they will continue to fight for a better position of their employees.

Among other things, the collective agreement guarantees receiving compensation for transport on a monthly basis, which was at one time an employer violated but the Trade Union of RTCG sought legal protection before the Agency for labour disputes.

In negotiations, The Trade Union was able to fight to guarantee that workers will receive compensation for the winter. All labor rights and obligations of both the employees and the employer are defined by this document. Collective agreement covers the overtime, safety at work, the method of determining redundancy and determines that the Trade Union monitors these processes.

There will be formed a joint commission to monitor compliance with and implementation of the Collective agreement and will react to an eventual violation. Trade Union of RTCG now has a mechanism to initiate the procedure for amending the Collective agreement and asks for changes of it as soon as the conditions are created for that.

BELGRADE, 28.06.2019. – N1 legal team brought criminal charges against Goran Vesic, Belgrade’s Deputy Mayor, on Thursday “for reasonable suspicion that he committed a crime by violating the privacy of letters and other correspondence, according to the Criminal Code article 142, paragraph 3.”

The charges are filed with the Higher Public Prosecutors’ Office, Department for Hi-Tech crime.

“The suspect Goran Vesic told a news conference he was familiar with the electronic correspondence between N1 reporters and that he would make it public. After that, a part of the electronic mail sent by the N1 executive producer to N1 journalists on June 16, was published on Goran Vesic’s Facebook profile,” the lawyers said.

The electronic mail contained a detailed plan of N1 reporters’ job for June 17, and a warning the “this email including any attachments may be privileged or confidential and is intended exclusively for the addressee,” and that it should not be shared, used or disclosed to others.

The publishing of its content violated the confidentiality of N1 electronic correspondence, N1 legal team said.

The criminal charges also included an unknown individual suspected of “an unauthorised access to a protected computer, computer’s network and electronic process of N1 TV data and in that way obtained certain data which was then sent to another individual, what constitutes the crime under the Penal Code article 302, paragraph 1 and 2.”

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic has told reporters that Vesic should be held responsible if he obtained the information illegally.

Rodoljub Sabic, the former Commissioner for Information of Public Importance, said that if Vesic had the N1 internal correspondence, he might face from two to three years in jail.

Journalists’ organisation also reacted to Vesic’s move and the Independent Association of Serbia’s Journalists (NUNS) said it was an attempt to intimidate N1 journalists.