Journalists’ organization calls for protection for journalists

An UNS statement issued for World Press Freedom Day (May 3) recalled that it recorded 140 cases of threats, pressure and assaults on journalists and media staff in 2023 with that trend continuing into 2024 when 33 cases were recorded in the first quarter of the year alone. It said that the pressure was mainly from public and political party officials who “insulted, discriminated and told journalists how they should do their jobs”. It cited the example of Belgrade’s outgoing Mayor Aleksandar Sapic who has repeatedly refused to answer questions from N1 and Nova S TV reporters.

UNS said it wants the authorities to investigate those cases and publish the results. It also called for changes to the criminal code to include attacks on journalists as serious crimes and provide efficient institutional protection for them from public officials, media owners and others.

UNS said that public funds should be divided equitable to preserve media pluralism and allow the providing of quality information to the public.

It said that the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications should make sure that local administrations abide by the regulations on tenders for project co-financing of the media.

The UNS statement said that the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) should follow its own rules and not bypass the law on electronic media. REM should also publish all data on election campaign reporting by commercial TV stations.
UNS called the Kosovo authorities and international administration to form an international commission of experts to investigate the killings and abductions of journalists and media staff in Kosovo between 1998 and 2005, adding that the commission should include representatives of journalists’ associations.