The Media Institute of Montenegro (IMCG) announced that it is necessary to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the prospect of membership in the European Union and strengthen journalism in the public interest.
The Institute congratulated its colleagues on the World Press Freedom Day and expressed "deep respect for all those who serve the public interest with their professional work and are a persistent reminder to the authorities of their obligation to enable the free work of the media".
Without critically oriented, free, brave journalists, they point out, many corruption and criminal affairs would remain hidden and undetected, freedoms and rights would be threatened, the vulnerable would not get the space they deserve, and the power centers would take complete control over the public sphere.
"In order for journalists to be able to do their work professionally, the state must guarantee their freedom and safety, which is why we call on the authorities to fully shed light on the murder and attacks on journalists and media property from the previous period. Without that, we cannot be confident in the true will of the government to provide the media with a free environment for work," the announcement reads.
The Institute also states that the freedom to collect and distribute information of public interest is a prerequisite for quality information, which is why, they say, it is of crucial importance that the government, by adopting and applying a set of media laws, prevents the usurpation of the media, especially the Public Service.
"Global trends indicate audience fatigue with news, decline in advertising revenue, more and more content that is assumed to be generated by artificial intelligence, which requires media to reconsider their role and make new adjustments. These trends reflect on Montenegro, its specific , a small market and a media space exposed to foreign influence. Bearing in mind the fragility of institutions, the resistance to change, the division of the media scene, the risks for ethical journalism, the sustainability of established media and the control of inappropriate influence are more pronounced than in organized societies that elaborate media policies and rules with the aim protection of democracy," it added.
The Institute announced that they hope that Montenegro, through the commitment and networking of all actors in society who care about media freedom and the defense of democracy and whose duty and responsibility it is, will take advantage of the opportunity offered by the perspective of EU membership and provide better legal conditions for the work of journalists, stronger guarantees for the free work of the media, and that it will reduce the risks of interference in the editorial autonomy of public and local media services.
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