The Minister of Culture and Media, Tamara Vujović, condemned the threats and insults addressed to the editor of the M portal Danica Nikolić and her colleagues.
"I oppose any form of threats and violence, because threats are not only an attack on journalists, but also on the very essence of freedom of expression, media freedom and democracy itself. We must not allow ourselves to be a country where journalists feel unsafe. Duty and ethics of journalists is that they work not in the interest of any power center, but exclusively in the interest of the public, journalists who do their job honorably, have the right to their opinion and to express it freely," said Vujović.
A threat was sent to Nikolić's email address against her and journalists Tamara Nikčević, Bojana Dabović, Mirka Dević and Slavica Kruščić Vasović. Antena M's editor-in-chief Darko Šuković and lawyer Zoran Piperović were also mentioned in the email.
"I expect a quick agreement from the competent authorities, because in order for threats to be less, or not to exist at all, it is necessary for institutions to react more efficiently and for those who threaten to know that such behavior will be sanctioned. In the Ministry of Culture and Media, we will continue to work diligently on improving the position of journalists in Montenegro, their safety above all, their right to work without pressure, their freedom of expression, in accordance with the ethical code of the journalistic profession, without bias and without exception".
Vujović also said that we must agree that "we do not have to agree on some topics" and that this is a measure of democratic dialogue, and that threats and attacks are misdemeanor and criminal acts.
DPS: We consider Abazović and Adžić to be the instigators of such crimes
The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) condemned the threats directed at Nikolić and her colleagues.
"We consider the Prime Minister of the former government, Dritan Abazović and the Minister of the Interior, Filip Adzić, to be the direct inspirers of this attack, and of all those who repeat themselves every time these two target the media or journalists whose reporting they do not like. The passivity of the competent institutions, and their inertness to react effectively, contributes to the repetition of such acts," the DPS announced.
They add that it is obvious "that the abuser, whose case has been under investigation for several months, reads such a move by the authorities as permission to repeat the threats".
"We believe that Danica Nikolić and her colleagues will continue to perform their work professionally, and that the inspirers of the threats and those who write them hidden behind a false identity will be prosecuted and punished," the DPS statement concluded.
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