The position of media professionals in Montenegro is still not at a level that would guarantee their safety, dignity and professional autonomy, and although certain progress has been noted, the essential struggle for free media is still ongoing.
This was announced by the Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG) on the occasion of May 3rd - World Press Freedom Day.
SMCG stated that over the past year, salaries in the media sector, as well as in the rest of the country, increased due to the implementation of the Europe Now 2 program.
"However, the salaries of media workers are still below the national average, or closer to the minimum rather than the average wage - which, in addition to being insufficient for a dignified life, does not reflect the importance that members of this profession have in preserving the democratic order," the statement says.
The Union also pointed out that violence and pressure on journalists are not abating.
They said that last year, 24 incidents were recorded in the SafeJournalist database, which is significantly more than the previous year, when there were 16.
SMCG said they were not only concerned about the quantitative increase, but also about the nature of the attacks themselves – such as the brutal physical attack on Ana Raičković.
"It is encouraging, however, that this case has reached a judicial conclusion - which continues the trend of faster resolution of cases where media workers are victims," the statement said.
It is announced that SMCG, as in previous years, will continue to actively strengthen the security culture in the media sector, especially when it comes to training on risk assessments and active participation in establishing a national response to security challenges.
SMCG said that in addition to physical and economic security, it is equally important to work on improving the psychological safety of media workers.
They stated that the new Law on Audiovisual Media Services, which has yet to be fully implemented, represents a positive step forward.
"And which, we hope, will solve the long-standing problem of financing local public broadcasters, but also affect the better economic position of employees in those media," the statement added.
It is alleged that not all municipalities complied with the law when adopting this year's budget.
"SMCG will continue to insist that this be corrected and the Law is fully respected," the Union said.
They also stated that the Media Law, adopted in the middle of last year, brought several important innovations.
"Among other things, for the first time, the participation of journalists in the election of the editor-in-chief has been regulated, as well as his position in the event of a change in the ownership or editorial policy of the media," the statement says.
SMCG said that solidarity in the guild must be the foundation of all actions.
"The fight for rights, safety and professional standards is a shared one. Only united and organized can we build a media scene that serves the public interest and preserves freedom of speech," the statement said.
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