Journalists can’t know the classification level of a document that is considered a state secret. In addition, according to the law in force, journalists may be sentenced to up to 12 years of imprisonment depending on the level of classification of the document they publish.

The Law on Classification of Information recognizes four levels of classification: ‘Too secret’, ‘Secret’, ‘Confidential’ and ‘Restricted’. 328019

The justification for all levels of classification is that their unauthorized could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage [depending on the level] to security interests of the Republic of Kosovo.

When we mention security interests, we refers to defense, intelligence and law enforcement activities, security or foreign relations of the Republic of Kosovo, including its territorial integrity, integrity of its institutions, the constitutional order and economic stability and development

But, in my experience as a journalist, there have been cases when institutions have classified a public document, even if they have not shown the level of classification, they have threatened with imprisonment if it is published.

One of them is the MFA, which has failed to show why a classified document could compromise Kosovo’s security interests.

In October 2018, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had signed a contract with a US company, a contract that was public in America, but the same was considered a ‘classified document’ by the state.

The MFA alleged that a contract with a US company is a classified document, though we found that the same is public in the US Department of Justice. It was a contract where the state would pay 540 thousand euros for legal advice and support for government relations and public communication activities.

We had asked the men who signed this contract, Anton Berisha, who comes from AAK, which services specifically are concerned and who has negotiated this contract, and it is dedicated to the same Government or Office of the Prime Minister. But he has said the contract is secret.

“You refer to a document that is classified and as such has legal limitations. Every official within the government, as well as other physical and legal persons who treat/disclosure the content outside the foreseen and unauthorized rates, will have administrative and legal consequences”, said Berisha’s office.

According to the law, the legal consequence is the imprisonment of up to 12 years, depending on the level of classification. But, this institution did not even show the classification level.

But, the contract that Berisha refers as a secret, we found it published in the US Department of Justice.

We asked them, how can be considered as a classified document a contract which is public and on which criteria it is classified the same.

“The other party has the right to publish, under the terms of the contract,” MFA replied.

But the law in its Article 4 also foresees classification criteria. A section below also shows cases where classification is not allowed.

“… preventing or delaying the publication of information, which obviously has nothing to do with security issues,” reads one of the items in Article 5.

Asked about on what basis a public contract was classified, the MFA  said that the document was classified as such in accordance with the competencies of the Government, but did not give an answer  how a public document could be classified as a secret.

The contract signed in Pristina was summoned to Government Decision No. 12/18 of 16.02.2018, but this decision is not public on the Government website.

We have also asked the Prime Minister’s Office if there is such a decision, but didn’t get any response.

On the OPM official website, which publishes Government decisions, there is no decision on this date.

The Law on Classification, in Article 11, also gives details of the duration of the classification, depending on the importance of the document. One document may remain classified for 1 to 25 years.

Documents that contain information classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” or higher, are written, translated, stored, copied, or in any other form reproduced only by persons who have valid security licenses for the classification level of the relevant document.

The Legislative Program of the Government for 2018 provided for the Law on Classification of Information and Security Verification to be amended in June this year. But the government told us that this law has not yet entered the amendment-amendment procedure

Author: Erjone Popova

This article is a production of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo under the project “Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists Safety”, funded by the European Union. The content of this publication can in no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

Gazetarët nuk mund ta dinë nivelin e klasifikimit të një dokumenti, i cil konsiderohet sekret shtetëror. Përveç kësaj, sipas ligjit në fuqi, gazetarët mund të dënohen deri në 12 vite burgim varësisht nga niveli i klasifikimit të dokumentit të cilin e publikojnë.

Ligji për klasifikimin e informacioneve njeh katër nivele të klasifikimit: nivelin ‘Tepër sekret’, ‘Sekret’, ‘Konfidencial’ dhe atë të ‘Kufizuar’.

Arsyetimi për të gjitha nivelet e klasifikimit është se hapja e paautorizuar e tyre do të dëmtonte [varësisht nga niveli]  interesat e sigurisë së Republikës së Kosovës.

E kur përmenden interesat e sigurisë, i referohen mbrojtjes, veprimtarive të zbatimit te ligjit dhe zbulimit, marrëdhënieve me jashtë apo të sigurisë të Republikës së Kosovës, përfshirë integritetin e saj territorial, integritetin e institucioneve të saja, rregullin kushtetues si dhe stabilitetin dhe zhvillimin ekonomik.

Por, në eksperiencën time si gazetare, ka pasur rase kur institucionet e kanë klasifikuar një dokument publik, madje përveç që nuk kanë treguar nivelin e klasifikimit, kanë kërcënuar edhe me burgim nëse i njëjti publikohet.

Një ndër to është MPJ, e cila nuk ka arritur të tregoj se pse një dokument i klasifikuar nga ta mund të cenojë interesat e sigurisë së Kosovës.

Në tetor të vitit 2018, Ministria e Punëve të Jashtme kishte nënshkruar kontratë me një kompani amerikane, kontratë e cila ishte publike në Amerikë, por e njëjta konsiderohej ‘dokument i klasifikuar’ nga shteti.

MPJ kishte thënëse një kontratë me një kompani amerikane është dokument i klasifikuar, ani pse ne  kishim gjetur se e njëjta është publike në Departamentin e Drejtësisë të SHBA-së. Bëhej fjalë për një kontratë ku shteti do të paguajë 540 mijë euro për këshilla ligjore dhe mbështetje për marrëdhëniet e Qeverisë dhe aktivitetet e komunikimit publik.

Ne kishim pyetur nënshkruesin e kësaj kontrate, Anton Berisha, i cili vjen nga AAK, se për çfarë shërbimesh specifikisht bëhet fjalë dhe se kush e ka negociuar këtë kontratë, si dhe i dedikohet e njëjta Qeverisë apo edhe Zyrës se Kryeministrit. Por, ai ka thënë se kontrata është sekrete.

“Ju i referoheni një dokumenti që është i klasifikuar dhe si i tillë ka kufizimet ligjore. Çdo zyrtar brenda qeverisë, por edhe persona të tjerë fizikë e juridikë që e trajtojnë përmbajtjen jashtë normave të parapara dhe në mënyre të paautorizuar do të bartin pasoja administrative dhe ligjore”, thuhej në përgjigjen e Zyrës së Anton Berishës.

Rrjedhimisht, pasojë ligjore referuar ligjit është edhe burgimi deri në 12 vite, varësisht nga niveli i klasifikimit. E ky institucion nuk kishte treguar as nivelin e klasifikimit.

Por, kontratën që Berisha i referohet si sekrete, ne e kemi gjetur të publikuar në Departamentin e Drejtësisë të SHBA-së.

Ne pyetje shtesë, se si mund të konsiderohet dokument i klasifikuar një kontratë e cila është publike dhe mbi çfarë kriteresh është klasifikuar e njëjta.

“Pala tjetër ka të drejtën e publikimit, në kufizimet sipas kontratës”, thuhej në përgjigje.

Por, ligji në nenin 4 të tij, parasheh edhe kriteret e klasifikimit. Ndërsa një nen më poshtë tregohen edhe rastet kur nuk mund të ndodhë klasifikimi.

“…parandaluar apo vonuar publikimin e një informacioni, e cila qartazi nuk ka të bëjë me çështje të sigurisë”, thuhet në njërën nga pikat e nenit 5.

Të pyetur se mbi çfarë baze është klasifikuar një kontratë publike, MPJ kishte thënë se dokumenti është i klasifikuar si i tillë në përputhje me kompetencat që ka qeveria, por nuk jep përgjigje se si mund të klasifikohet si sekret një dokument i cili është publik.

Por, ne nuk kishte marrë përgjigje se në cilin nga këto nivele është i klasifikuar dokumenti në fjalë, e cila kontratë është publike.

Kontrata e nënshkruar në Prishtinë, thirrej në vendimin me numër 12/18 të Qeverisë, të datës 16.02.2018, por ky vendim nuk është publik në faqen e Qeverisë.

Ne kemi pyetur edhe Zyrën e Kryeministrit nëse ekziston një vendim i tillë, por nuk ka marrë përgjigje.

Në faqen zyrtare të ZKM-së, në të cilën publikohen vendimet e Qeverisë, nuk ka vendim të kësaj date.

Ligji për klasifikim, në nenin 11, jep edhe detaje edhe për kohëzgjatjen e klasifikimit, ku varësisht nga rëndësia e dokumentit, një i tillë mund të mbetet i klasifikuar nga 1 deri në 25 vite.

Dokumentet që përmbajnë informacione të klasifikuara si “KONFIDENCIALE” apo në nivel më të lartë, shkruhen, përkthehen, ruhen, kopjohen apo në çfarëdo forme tjetër riprodhohen vetëm nga personat të cilët kanë leje të vlefshme mbi sigurinë për nivelin e klasifikimit të dokumentit përkatës.

Programin Legjislativ të Qeverisë për vitin 2018, kishte paraparë që Ligji për Klasifikimin e Informacioneve dhe Verifikimin e Sigurisë, të amandamentohej në qershor të këtij viti. por Qeveria thotë se ky ligj ende nuk ka hyrë në procedurën e plotësim-ndryshimit.

Author: Erjone Popova

Ky shkrim është prodhim i Asociacionit të Gazetarëve të Kosovës në kuadër të projektit Platforma Rajonale e Ballkanit Perëndimor për Avokimin e Lirisë së Medias dhe Sigurisë së Gazetarëve, e themeluar në janar të vitit 2016 me ndihmën financiare të Bashkimit Evropian. Përmbajtja e këtij publikimi nuk mund të konsiderohet në asnjë rrethanë si pasqyrim i qëndrimit të Bashkimit Evropian.

BEOGRAD, 13.12.2018. – Regionalna platforma Zapadnog Balkana za zagovaranje medijskih sloboda i bezbjednosti novinara koja zastupa više od 8000 članova, najoštrije osuđuje izazivanje požara u kući Milana Jovanovica, novinara portala Žig info iz Grocke (Srbija).

Jovanović je izjavio da je video nadzor u komšiluku zabilježio dva maskirana muškarca kako bacaju zapaljive naprave u garažu, nakon čega se vatra rasplamsala i obuhvatila kuću. Postoje izvještaji u kojima se navodi da su ispaljeni meci ispred vrata kako bi spriječili porodicu da napuste kuću. Porodična kuća Jovanovića je uništena u požaru, a novinar i njegova porodica su trenutno smješteni kod prijatelja.

“Napad na Milana Jovanovića je jedan od najekstremnijih napada na novinarsku profesiju u posljednjoj deceniji”, rekao je Slaviša Lekić, predsjednik Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije i dodao: “Jovanović je dobijao anonimne prijetnje i bio predmet pritisaka usmjerenih od strane lokalnih funkcionera. Jovanovićev urednik, Željko Matorčević teško je prebijen 10. novembra ove godine. Jovanović je prijetnje prijavio policiji, ali oni nisu uspjeli da spriječe podmetanje požara. Institucije moraju da reaguju brzo i izvedu počinioce pred lice pravde.”

Regionalna platforma se pridružuje Nezavisnom udruženju novinara Srbije u zahtjevu nadležnim institucijama da ovom slučaju daju prioritetan status. Pozovamo ih da sprovedu detaljnu istragu, kazne napadače i dokažu svoju posvećenost obezbjeđivanju sigurnih uslova za rad novinara.

U 2018. godini u Srbiji je zabilježeno ukupno 22 incidenta, šest fizičkih napada i 18 verbanih prijetnji, dok je broj zabilježenih pritiska daleko veći i iznosi 66.

Svaki napad na novinara je napad na javni interes, demokratiju i prava svih građana.

Udruženje/udruga BiH novinari
Sindikat medija Crne Gore
Hrvatsko novinarsko društvo
Udruženje novinara Kosova
Društvo novinara Makedonije
Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije

Skoplje – Beograd – Podgorica – Priština – Sarajevo – Zagreb, 12.12.2018.

Beograd, 13.12.2018. – Regionalna mreža Zapadnog Balkana za zagovaranje medijskih sloboda i sigurnosti novinara, koja predstavlja više od 8,000 članova, oštro osuđuje podmetanje požara u kući Milana Jovanovića, novinara i urednika portala Ziginfo.rs iz Grocka, Srbija.

Jovanović navodi da je video kamera iz njihovog neposrednog komšiluka snimila oko tri časa poslije ponoći dvojicu maskiranih napadača koji su u njihovu garažu ubacili zapaljive naprave.

Postoje izjave i da su meci ispucani tačno pred vratima, kako bi onemogućila porodicu da napusti kuću. Dio Jovanovićeve porodićne kuće  je uništen u požaru, ne može se koristit, a novinar i njegova porodica borave kod prijatelja.

“Napad na Milana Jovanovića je jedan od najekstremnijih napada na novinarsku profesiju i posljednjem desetljeću”, rekao je Slaviša Lekić, predsjednik Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije i dodao: “Jovanoviću su konstantno stizale anonimne prijetnje, a bio je i izložen pritiscima javnih zvaničnika. Urednik novinara Jovanovića, Željko Matorčević je brutalno pretužen 10. novembra ove godine. Jovanović je prijavio prijetnje policiji, ali to nije spriječilo podmetanje požara. Institucije moraju reagovati brzo i izvesti počinitelje pred pravdu.”

Regionalna platforma podržava zahtjev Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije  prema relevantnim vlastima Republike Srbije da daju ovom slučaju hitni status.  Pozivamo ih da hitno sprovedu detaljnu istragu, kazne počinitelje i dokažu svoju predanost osiguravanju sigurnog radnog okruženja za novinare.

In 2018 u Srbiji zabilježena su 22 incidenta, 6 fizičkih napada i 18 verbalnih prijetnji i čak 66 pritiska.

Svaki napad na novinare je napad na javni interes, demokratiju, i prava svih građana.

Sarajevo – Podgorica – Zagreb – Priština – Skoplje – Beograd,

Udruženje/udruga BiH novinari

Sindikat medija Crne Gore

Hrvatsko novinarsko društvo

Udruženje novinara Kosova

Udruženje novinara Makedonije

Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije

PODGORICA, 13.12.2018. – On the occasion of unilateral termination of the negotiations on the new collective agreement for the media sector by employers, representative branch unions participating in the negotiations, Trade Union of Media of Montenegro and the Union of information, Graphic and Publishing Field issued a press release.

You can read the statement in full:

We are informing our membership, all employees in the media and the public that the Montenegrin Union of Employers, as an organization authorized to collectively negotiate on behalf of employers, has informed that media representatives have failed to agree on their views and that negotiations must be terminated. It has been almost two months since this announcement and that employers did not initiate a meeting at which negotiations would continue, we are obliged to publicly declare it.

The last meeting that discussed the collective agreement was held in May when it was agreed that employers would inform us if they agreed with the changes proposed at the working group level. We consider it important that we inform members and the public about:

• That we submitted the initiative for launching negotiations on the creation of a new collective agreement to the Employers’ Union in September 2016;
• That the negotiations began after the year, in October 2017;
• During the negotiations we offered solutions that would improve the working conditions of the media employees;
• We were initially rejected on all grounds, we offered dozens of new, alternative solutions that would change the situation for the better, and that the majority were again rejected, and part was conditionally accepted and offered to individual employers for an explanation;
• The only proposal of employers concerned extensions of the list of serious violations of work obligations and termination of employment contracts.

We are aware that the attitude of employers in the media sector is not only in Montenegro and that it is fully in line with the treatment that trade unions and employees have in all fields. This treatment is for us, who represent almost 80% of employees in the Montenegrin media, unacceptable. Especially since, in parallel with the breakdown of social dialogue, the states, which intend to be the next member of the European Union, thanks to the supposed progress in all spheres, praise the level of social dialogue in the country.

The media are those who create public opinion in every country, the bearers of all social changes, the foundation of any democracy, and media employees those who run it all and whose head is “in the bag” almost everyday. It is precisely the owners of these media who are not ready to demonstrate in practice a democracy they declare decisively and to allow to their employees a normal working conditions, or at least a hint of what is guaranteed by the Labor Law and the General Collective Agreement. The disadvantage of leading a social dialogue best illustrates the level of working conditions in the Montenegrin media, which is the profile of employers in that sector, but also the values they support.

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro and the Union of Information, Graphic and Publishing Field will inform the Presidents of Montenegro, the Government, the Parliament, the Social Council, the Minister of Labor and the OSCE Mission in Montenegro, the Delegation of the European Union to Montenegro, as well as the United States, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Austria Embassies.

From the Union of Employers (UPCG), we were informed that they did not receive any responses from employers in the field of media, and that “at this moment there are obviously no prerequisites for the continuation of negotiations, but that UPCG will react to the possible signal of readiness of employers from this branch of activity to continue negotiations according to the trade union information as soon as possible “. We hope that these assumptions will come at least after all relevant addresses in the country are informed about how Montenegrin employers understand social dialogue.

Trade Union of Media of Montenegro, president Marijana Camović

Union of Information, Graphic and Publishing Field, member of the Executive board, Željko Komnenović

PRISTINA, 11.12.2018 – The Association of Journalists of Kosovo welcomes the relatively quick judicial handling of the threat to journalist Bujar Vitija by public official but expresses concern about the minimum sentence imposed on the defendant.

Zenel Kuqi, procurement official at Hospital and University Clinic Service, was found guilty by Basic Court in Pristina of making threats against a journalist and sentenced him to 200 euro fine.

On June 8^th, 2018, Kuqi threatened journalists via telephone call after Vitija refused to meet him. That day, Vitija published a story related to a court case in which Kuqi and other officials from the Ministry of Health were acquitted.

AJK considers that such minimum conviction have negative effects in an environment of doing journalism and encourages attacks and threats against journalists.

The verdict was issued on November 8^th 2018 by Judge Anita Krasniqi Prenaj and AJK was informed by journalist Vitija who said to have received the verdict by mail on December 10. He stated that he did not take part in any of trials. AJK asks from Courts to invite journalists and listen to their versions related to cases they have.

The Association of Journalists of Kosovo reiterates the demand to security and justice institutions to treat with priority the cases of threats and attacks against journalists due to their mission for information and protection of public interest.

AGK also demands that attackers and threats of journalists receive a deserved punishment in order to prevent such acts and create a safe working environment for journalists.

BELGRADE, 12.12.2018. – The Commission Investigating Murders of Journalists in Serbia has reacted to the weekly Ilustrovna Politika’s recent string of articles.

For a month now the campaign of Ilustrovana Politika, adviser to editor-in-chief Goran Kozic and outside collaborator Djordje Martic has been underway, proclaiming as innocent the defendants in case of murder Slavko Curuvija, claiming that there is not enough evidence against them, which would probably mean that the court should released those accused.

The Commission said this on Tuesday in a statement singed by its president, Veran Matic, and continued:

“When the president of the Commission warns of the omission of evidence from this proceeding, the Higher Court, the Bar, the Association of Judges and the Supreme Court of Cassation, assess that this exerts pressure on the court, violates the presumption of innocence, although the assessment of the Commission and its president has been confirmed by the Appellate Court, on three occasions. In the case of this campaign, which runs from issue to issue, there is no reaction. In addition to discrediting, insulting, drawing a target on Ljiljana Smajlovic, the constant thread is the request to release the accused for the murder of Curuvija.”

In the latest attack, Kozic and Martic even boasted that they had the tacit support from the state for all these articles, because the state only reacted to the first issue, “The hounds are released,” – and only because of the offensive context for the US ambassador, the statement said.

“There is still have a controversial position about one of the most important trials, at least as regards the position of journalists, the impunity of the murder of journalists, but also when it comes to the rule of law. Kozic and Martic discredit journalists who have initiated the process of founding the Commission and accuse them of all kinds of national disasters without proof,” it added.

“We are warning that in this way, as well as with the reactions of the institutions of the Higher Court, the Association of Judges, the Supreme Court of Cassation, completely unfounded in the practice of the European Court of Human Rights, the establishment of truth and justice in the case of the murder of Slavko Curuvija is being reduced to for how long will Ljiljana Smajlovic and Veran Matic endure the barrage of fire from the authors from the state-owned Ilustrovana Politika. Is it a precondition for a fair trial that Smajlovic and Matic be liquidated out of this process, as those who are trying to establish all the facts, have all the evidence presented, in a completely open and public manner?,” the statement asked, and concluded:

“Taking into consideration the presumption of innocence in the requests for the court procedure to be conducted in the most honest way possible, we demand from all institutions that have reacted without the arguments to the statements of the members of the Commission, to react now, after a month of Ilustovana Politika’s campaign to acquit the accused. It is not enough that Suzana Vasiljevic, as a representative of the state, leaves the Management Board. As all the reasons for her leaving the board continues for a month, it is obvious that it is necessary to make some additional effort to prevent further unreserved protection of the accused, all via drawing a target on the representatives of the State Commission Investigating Murders of Journalists.”