Recommendations from the report: Indicators on the level of media freedom and journalists’ safety

SKOPJE, 27.12.2018 – The Association of Journalists of Macedonia promoted the annual report on Indicators on the level of media freedom and journalists’ safety. This report was focused on three topics:

1. Legal Protection of Media and Journalists’ Freedoms, Journalists’ Position in the Newsroom
2. Professional Ethics and Level of Censorship 
3. Journalists’ Safety.

One of the main recommendations that came out from the report in the first section which was focused on Legal Protection of Media and Journalists’ Freedoms was the need for reforms in the media legislation. AJM’s amendments to the Law on Audio and Audiovisual Media Services have to be adopted since they regulate many aspects of the work of the media.

One of the requirements of the journalistic community was that 1% of the State Budget has to be allocated for financing of the Macedonian Radio Television (MRT). Furthermore, the election of new members of the Council of AVMU and Program Council of MRT were envisaged in the amendments as well as lowering the obligations of private media towards the media regulator.

Except for the proposed changes in the law on AAVMS, AJM criticized the changes to the Election Code which envisaged the possibility for part of the public money for financing the parties to be used for paying political propaganda in the media during the election campaign, and the State Election Commission was given the authority to evaluate the coverage of the online media during the election campaign. Therefore, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia recommended:

1. To abolish paid political advertising in the commercial media in times of election campaigns
2. To delete the provision in the Electoral Code which authorizes the State Election Commission to register the online media which will report on the elections, as well as to monitor and evaluate their work

Since the Civil Court in Skopje refuses to apply the Civil Liability Law for defamation of online media cases, while quite another case law exists in the other appellate courts, AJM assessed the behavior of the courts in Skopje as politically motivated in order to give false alibi to the Government to introduce stricter regulation of online media. Therefore, AJM filed a request to the Supreme Court for harmonization of the case law.

Journalists’ Position in the Newsroom, Professional Ethics and Level of Censorship was the second aspect which was analyzed in the Report. One of the main recommendations of AJM is that a collective agreement has to be signed.

Regarding the pressure to editorial offices, the Association of Journalists of Macedonia recommends to private media to:

• publish internal acts in their websites that guarantee the independence of the editorial collegium from media management.

However, only few of them did that.

Regarding the journalists’ safety in the country AJM has repeatedly warned about the high level of impunity for violence against journalists. Therefore, AJM called upon all relevant institutions such as courts, Public Prosecution, the Police etc. to work together condemn the attacks on journalists and bring the attackers to justice.

In order to improve the safety of journalists and the freedom of speech AJM recommended:

• organization of training and workshops with journalists and people employed within the relevant institutions.

So far, the police have not adopted internal documents, which will teach their members how to deal with journalists. These institutions do not have any rule-books that prohibit threats, intimidation or attacks on journalists. This is why AJM:

• Publishes manuals and guidelines and delivers them to institutions and journalists in order to have safe journalists and safe work environment.