SKOPJE, 21.11.2016 The Association of Journalists of Macedonia in cooperation with the US Embassy in Skopje, UNHCR and the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, on Friday held a ceremony at the Museum of Macedonia in Skopje and presented awards for best photography on the topic refugee wave in 2015 in Macedonia.

The first prize for best photography was given to Maja Zlatevska from the newspaper “Dnevnik”, the second went to Ognen Teofilovski from “Vest” and the third to Gjorgji Licovski from the portal “Sakam da kazam”.

The President of AJM Naser Selmani, in his welcoming speech congratulated the winners and thanked all those who participated in the contest. Selmani said that the refugee wave was a test of ethical reporting for Macedonian photographers, who from the first day followed the refugee crisis reporting for domestic and foreign media.

“Through their photos we comprehended the difficult fate of these desperate people. Migrants were presented in the true light, as victims of senseless wars. Before their photos no human being can not remain indifferent to the plight of the refugees, “said Selmani.

He added through giving awards to professional photographers we strengthen the unity of the journalistic community. “I want to call to remain united so that together we can easily deal with common challenges such as the escalation of attacks against journalists, photoreporters and cameramen” said Selmani.

Laura Brown, the person responsible for public relations at the American Embassy said that the safety of journalists is very important so that they can fulfill their mission. “We in the United States believe that the work of journalists is very important, especialy in times of crisis, as the refugee and political crisys in Macedonia,” said Brown.

She praised the courage and professionalism of photographers because their work contributes to the transmission of the human dimension of the refugee crisis.

UNHCR Representative in Skopje, Tihomir Nikolovski said that by the images of photographers are the voice of refugees.

Nita Cavolli, a representative of the Macedonian Young Lawyers Association said that an image is the most piercing communication channel, because, through it the suffering of refugees is passed and it develops a sense of solidarity and compassion.

After the award ceremony, held at the Museum an exhibition was held where the the 50 best photographs of 20 photoreporters were presented who participated in the contest.

This activity of AJM is part of a project supported by the US Embassy dedicated to Macedonian photographers, within which a Manual for safety of photoreporters and professional ethics was printed.

Photo Source: SDK

AJM, November 20

2016, Skopj

PRISTINA, 30.10.2016 – Association of Journalists of Kosovo considers the actions of the President Hashim Thaci as unacceptable, who did not take any questions from the journalists. We wish to remind President Thaci that he is bound by law to answer to the interests of journalists. Today’s act of the presidency reflects the disrespect of journalists and neglect of our work. At the same time we demand from the presidency to apologize to all journalists for what happened today.
The President should have in mind to accept questions by journalists and answer them in his future addresses, since the presidency as an institution should be a focal point for transparency. We would also like to take this opportunity to call on all heads of institutions to be more open to media. Facebook statuses are not a proper way of communication, therefore all those individuals holding senior institutional positions in Kosovo have to seriously think about improving their communication with the journalists.

ZAGREB, 01.11.2016. – Journalist associations from the Western Balkans are demanding an effective investigation of the attempted murder of Sasa Lekovic, president of the Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND).

They expressed their expectation that the initiated investigation would determine the circumstances regarding the damaged Lekovic’s car urgently.

Journalists’ associations from the Western Balkans are pointing out that this case is only the culmination of almost daily threats, insults and pressure on Sasa Lekovic, which followed his election as president of the CJA in 2015.

It is extremely important that the state recognizes threats against journalists as a direct threat to freedom of speech and democracy, and we demand that all previous attacks on Lekovic and other journalists are processed efficiently and with appropriate seriousness.

Journalist associations from the region of the Western Balkans expressed full solidarity with colleague Lekovic and warn the Croatian Government that only with effective investigation and punishment of the perpetrators in this case they can demonstrate their democratic nature and real commitment to European values, in which freedom of expression and security of journalists are fundamental human rights .

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia
Association BH Journalists
Croatian Journalists’ Association
The Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Trade Union of Media Montenegro
The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia

СКОПЈЕ, 01.11.2016 Очекуваме покренатата истрага по итна постапка дека ќе ги утврди околностите во врска со оштетувањето на автомобилот на Лековиќ.

Новинарските здруженија од регионот на Западен Балкан предупредуваат дека овој случај е само кулминација на готово секојдневните закани, навреди и притисоци на Сашо Лековиќ кои следат по неговиот избор за претседател на Хрватското здружение на новинарите во 2015 година. Многу е важно Хрватска да ги препознае заканите на новинарите како директни закани врз слободата на говорот и демократијата, и бараме сите досегашни напади врз Лековиќ и другите новинари да бидат процесуирани ефикасно и со соодветна сериозност.

Новинарските здруженија од регионот на Западен Балкан изразуваат солидарност со колегата Лековиќ и ја предупредуваат Владата на Република Хрватска дека само со ефикасна истрага и со казнување на сторителите во овој случај може и практично да се покаже демократичноста и реалната посветеност на европските вредности, во кои слободата на изразување и сигурноста на новинарите претставуваат основни човекови права.

Здружение на новинарите на Македонија

Здружение  на новинарите на Босна и Херцеговина

Здружение  на новинарите на Хрватска

Здружение на новинарите на Косово

Синдикат на медиуми на Црна Гора

Независно здружение на новинарите на Србија

01.11.2016 година

SKOPJE 31.10.2016 The Association of Journalists of Macedonia strongly condemns the misconduct of Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Pesevski, which last week after a press conference where he was presenting a report of “Doing Business” for Macedonia, insulted a journalist from the daily newspaper Vest because she asked whether the government is considering to increase the age limit of 67 years for retirement.

Pesevski irritated by the insistence of the journalist to get a precise answer about the government’s intention to increase the age limit for retirement and turned to the journalist with a counter question: “Are you able to say yes or no if I ask you whether your parents know that you are a prostitute?”

Pesevski shows that he has no basic domestic education and political culture, which borders with bullying and primitivism. This attack is not only directed toward a professional journalist, which main task is to ask unpleasant questions to politicians, but it is an attack on media freedom.

Such attacks aim to belittle and intimidate journalists not to request a report of the work of public officials and to kill the sense of the role of journalism in a democratic society.

We are disappointed by the behavior of our colleagues who were present at the event and did not react to the insults of Pesevski. We appeal in the future in similar situations journalists jointly react and show greater solidarity.

Utterly hypocritical for politicians is to ask the media to report professionaly of the election campaign while also physically attacking and insulting journalists without incurring any liability.

We ask Vice Premier Pesevski who last year in broad daylight attacked a journalist to publicly apologize to the journalist but also to take political liability. Also either he should resign or Prime Minister Emil Dimitiriev has to dismiss him. We remind Dimitirev that for similar harm to a journalist serbian prime minister sacked the defense minister.

At the same time we call on VMRO-DPMNE to disassociate itself from the behavior of their minister and member of the party leadership and ask them not to submit his candidacy for MP in the next election. Otherwise, we will consider that VMRO-DPMNE justifies and allows violence and inappropriate behavior towards journalists.

31.10.2016, Skopje

Association of Journalists of Macedonia

ZAGREB, 28.10.2016. – Predsjedniku Hrvatskog novinarskog društva Saši Lekoviću na autoputu Bregana – Lipovac otkazao je automobil. Pregledom automobila ustanovljeno je da je nepoznati počinitelj sabotirao automobil – na prednjem desnom kotaču prepilio je dva vijka, ne bi li tijekom vožnje oni pukli i prouzročili kobnu nesreću za Lekovića i druge osobe.

Leković je automobil uspio zaustaviti u zaustavnoj traci autoceste nakon čega ga je odvukao kod mehaničara koji je utvrdio što je uzrokovalo nezgodu. Informaciju o sabotaži Leković je objavio na svom Facebook profilu, koju prenosimo u cijelosti:

“Znate da sam ja dosadan tip koji na FB-u postavlja samo postove u vezi sa novinarstvom i medijima te ponekad neku mjuzu. No, ovo je zanimljivo i mislim da je zaslužilo da bude objavljeno. Just in case. Danas poslije podne nasred autoputa auto mi je „poludio“. Počeo se tresti a potom krivudati.

Uspio sam ga zaustaviti u zaustavnoj traci i shvatio da mi je prednji desni kotač iskrivljen i prednja plastična „maska“ izvaljena iz ležišta. Kako je auto star prva misao bila je da je to uzrok. No, kako imam odličnog auto mehaničara koji mi „radi“ aute već gotovo 25 godina a auto je bio na tehničkom i registraciji prije dvadesetak dana ništa mi zapravo nije bilo jasno.

Odšlepali su me do prvog ozbiljnog auto mehaničara koji je auto preuzeo, obećao da će ga pregledati i ustanoviti uzrok kvara što je prije moguće. Čovjek me nakon nekog vremena obavijestio kako je ustanovio da su dva zavrtnja/šarafa na desnom prednjem kotaču prepiljena do pola i da je nakon 300 kilometara vožnje to uzrokovalo pucanje. (Naime, pokupio sam zavrtnje/šarafe, tj. njihove ostatke, na mjestu nezgode i ponio ih sa sobom).

Nije prvi puta da se netko „igra“ zavrtnjima/šarafima na kotačima mojega auta. Jednom su ih samo odšarafili napola, ali je auto bio relativno nov pa sam brzo shvatio da nešto nije u redu. Ovaj stari ionako stalno „drnda“ pa ne primijetim odmah promjenu.

To je inače jedna od češćih metoda „opstrukcije“. S obzirom da današnji dan mogu računati kao „rezervni“ rođendan evo i „rođendanske“pjesme „majstorima…”

Podsjetimo da je Saša Leković izložen stalnim prijetnjama već godinu i pol dana, otkako je postao predsjednik Hrvatskog novinarskog društva. Posljednji puta Leković je bio spomenut i u pismu kojeg je prije desetak dana zaprimila Sandra Bartolović, novinarka Forum.tm, na kojemu je stajao potpis ‘Ustaške zmije’. Nekoliko dana prije toga, Leković je bio spomenut i u prijetećem pismu kojeg je primila ravnateljica Hine Branka Gabrijela Valentić, koje je bilo potpisano sa ‘Jedan HOS-ovac’.