Prosecutors are examining Bemax's bans

The Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT) in Podgorica will investigate who and for what reason prohibited the "Vijesti" television crew from participating in the morning program "Colors of the Morning" from the public area, from the park in Tološi.

This is what the manager of ODT Podgorica told "Vijesta" yesterday Dusko Milanović.

Journalist Marija Radovic She told "Vijesti" yesterday that the team, wanting to professionally and responsibly complete another work task from the field and by agreement with the interlocutor, came up with the idea of ​​joining live from the new part of the Tološka Forest because of the whole environment, because it is beautiful , all arranged. That part was edited by the company "Bemaks" from Podgorica.

"...And considering that it is the right place where we can talk about healthy lifestyles, about how to overcome spring fatigue, therefore a completely benign topic. At the entrance to the park, we were met by a man, supposedly from security, who told us that due to the privacy of all those exercising there on the public surface, allegedly, we cannot join live, i.e. we must not turn on the camera, but record outside park. To that, I asked how it is possible that we are not allowed to film a public area and how it is possible that we are not allowed to film right now, since we have certainly been more than three times, at least personally, and I know the other colleagues from Boj utra, too. did a live inclusion in that very park", says Radović.

She emphasizes that this person explained to her that she had instructions not to let the team out into the public area.

Radović adds that "the gentleman really did not act maliciously, but someone who is carrying out a task - so what he was told, he is there to carry out".

"I didn't see his identification, but then at one point he tried to contact the 'boss', and I just asked who forbade it, if he could give me the contact of that person. He tried to contact the responsible person, but apparently no one answered. I was looking for the phone number of that person in charge, and since he couldn't find the number in his phone, he opened the directory and gave me the phone so I could look it up myself. Out of the three numbers, one was titled as TV E, and as I was reading the numbers aloud, would he tell me who to call, when I read the name of that newsroom, he said: 'Yes, only journalists from TV E can film here'." , Radovic said.

She points out that she was taken aback by such a decision.

"I say again, we didn't have time to maybe react differently or to oppose because we had to find another solution, but I really consider it inappropriate to ban a television journalist from doing his job on a public surface," she emphasized.

The Capital did not answer the questions of "Vijesti" yesterday.

The company "Bemaks" did not answer the questions either. In a statement delivered to other media, they claim that the "Vijesti" TV crew allegedly caused an incident in January 2022, "devastating part of the paths and lawns of the Bemax park during the filming of a feature that had nothing to do with recreation or similar topics", and that the damage was repaired paid by the company that manages the park, as well as the fact that the zone was not fully accessible to users for two days.

Deputy Mayor Luka Rakcevic he demanded from the Women's Basketball Club "Budućnost Bemax" to inform the employees that they have no reason to ban access to public areas in the park.

He reminded the leaders of that sports collective that this is state property, which the capital has at its disposal, and that the ŽKK "within 20 years can determine the conditions for the use of two basketball courts and a catering facility", which is provided for in the Decision on Public-Private Partnership for Development "Tološi" forest park.

"In this sense... it is clear that your employees cannot prohibit the access of television crews of any media to public areas within the mentioned plots, and especially to the entire area, which is located outside the fenced basketball courts and the facade of the catering facility," reads Rakčević's letter. , into which "Vijesti" had an insight.

Camović Veličković: The capital to explain

The Vice President of the Media Union, Marijana Camović Veličković, told "Vijesta" that it is unacceptable that journalistic teams are prohibited from reporting from public areas for any reason, and that is precisely the park in Tološi.

"We expect that the capital will react and explain what it is about and how it is possible to have come to this situation in the first place. If it is a private and not a public area, let them explain that to us as well. Otherwise, we can expect that someone, for example, will remove us from the Independence Square with the same explanation, because that square was also renovated by someone once," said Camović Veličković.