"Vijesti" doesn't even want a video about forest protection

The guest of the morning program of the Radio Television of Montenegro was prevented, as she claims, from mentioning the name of the journalist of "Vijesti" Television in the live program yesterday, even though she is one of the actors of the video which is also the subject of the guest appearance. At the same time, Public Service cut the part of the promotional video in which the journalist from TV "Vijesti" appears, thus infringing the author's rights.

The management of the Public Service did not respond to the calls and messages of "Vijesti".

Jelena Vukašinović from the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds (CZIP) announced on Facebook yesterday that during her guest appearance at RTCG, where she presented a video and a campaign dedicated to forest protection, she was asked not to mention TV "Vijesti" journalist Aleksandar Mudreš, who and one of the actors of the video.

She later told "Vijesta" that she was asked to do so by host journalist Dejan Bijelić before going live. The editors of the morning program denied her claims, stating that the guest was suggested not to mention everyone in the video due to time. In reaction during the day, they played the entire video, but did not explain why the video "Save the forests for the generations to come", which was broadcast during the disputed guest appearance, was edited in such a way that only Aleksandar Mudreš was not mentioned or appeared in it.

Mudreša appears in the original video after Dejan Dedović Dedduh from the band "Who See" and triathlete Igor Majer.

Director General Božidar Šundić and Director Slavko Đurđić did not respond to the calls and messages of "Vijesti".

"I was a guest in the RTCG morning program to present a video for forests in front of CZIP. Part of the campaign were personalities who are known to the public of Montenegro. As befits, but also as I personally felt, to publicly thank all the people for their contribution on behalf of my team, I was prevented from mentioning Aleksandar Mudreš in the program, who is among the main actors in the video, only because he works in "Vijesti" ... The policy of a media company should be based on objectivity, impartiality, honesty, respect for one's profession, and not on the policy that they decided to dictate themselves," wrote Vukašinović, among other things, on Facebook.

CZIP announced that RTCG violated copyright by cutting part of the video.

The executive director of "Vijesti" Marijana Kadić-Bojanić said that in RTCG "they managed to turn even a topic that is far from 'hot pre-parliamentary stories'... into a fight against professional journalism".

"Instead of promoting a socially important topic such as environmental protection, RTCG once again showed its tragic face as a deeply unhappy and trapped media to the citizens who pay for it. Even a topic that is far from the 'hot pre-election stories' we are surrounded by these days - they managed to turn it into a fight against professional journalism by 'cutting' our editor and author of the show 'Reflektor' Aleksandra Mudreš from a video about forest protection. It is devastating that in this society it is acceptable to sacrifice professional and personal dignity in order not to disobey the powerful, even though the role of the media is exactly the opposite," she said.

Kadić-Bojanić added that "the media, and especially public services, need citizens to report on anomalies in society, and not to be themselves an anomaly and part of a social problem."

"Unfortunately, this censorship shows what those who don't want true reporting are ready for, even if the topic was just the appearance in an environmental video of one of the leading faces of 'Vijesti'. It is clear that the high ratings of colleague Mudreša's show, as well as the fact that 'Vijesti' television is by far the most watched in the country, and the information program with the most trust - create nervousness among those who would destroy the media, which is a truly public service in the service of citizens." assessed Kadić-Bojanić.

RTCG Council member Bojana Jokić immediately informed the Council about the censorship of the "Vijesti" journalist and the ban on her name being mentioned in the Public Service program.

"Not all members have spoken out yet, but those who have, like me, insisted that the situation be investigated, proceedings initiated and responsibility determined," Jokić told "Vijesta" yesterday.

On the occasion of RTCG's actions, Council member Milan Radović also spoke.

"Those who work in this way have no place in the Public Service. I will insist that the case be fully investigated and that all those responsible be sanctioned in accordance with the law," he announced on Twitter.

The CZIP sent the video from which the RTCG footage with the TV "Vijesti" journalist was removed two days ago to all newsrooms, stating that it was made in order to show citizens how important forests are and how much each individual can contribute to their forests through responsible behavior. preservation. In addition to Mudreša, Dedić and Majer, musician and member of the group "The Book of Books" Aleksandar Popaj Radunović, singer Marija Božović and actress Dubravka Drakić appear in the video.

According to the Law on the National Public Broadcaster RTCG, funds in the amount of 0,3 percent of the gross domestic product are diverted from the state budget for the implementation of the basic activity. This year, almost 15 million euros were allocated, almost one million more than last year.

Corona postponed the hearing against "Pink"

As "Vijesti" has learned, the hearing in the Commercial Court in the dispute over the claim of "Daily Press" against the former "Pink M Company", now the "Nova M" company, was postponed for the second time in a row, because the defendant's lawyers from Serbia, due to the measures taken against the virus corona, they could not come to Montenegro. A new hearing is scheduled for September 16.

The lawsuit of "Daily Press" was filed due to the negative campaign that "Pink" television conducted against "Vijesti" and its founders from November 16, 2013 to the second half of February 2014 and continued after that period.

The case is before the judge of the Commercial Court, Dijana Raičković. At the next hearing, the report of the economic and financial expert Milenko Popović should be considered.

In the first half of last year, the Appellate Court of Montenegro annulled the judgment of the Commercial Court from 2018, which rejected the claim of "Daily Press" against "Pink M Company", worth 660.000 euros.