The institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms called on all competent authorities, political actors, media employers and the public to show greater respect for the journalistic profession, to refrain from all forms of pressure and threats, and to actively contribute to creating an environment in which journalists will be able to work freely, responsibly and with dignity.
They also point out that, according to data from the Media Union, the majority of media workers still have salaries below the national average.
The Institution of the Protector congratulated all journalists, editors and media workers on the Day of Journalists of Montenegro, expressing respect for their role in protecting the public interest, improving democratic processes, and promoting and protecting human rights and freedoms.
"Given the fact that journalist associations themselves point to numerous, long-term and systemic challenges that media professionals in Montenegro face, we call on all competent authorities, political actors, media employers and the entire public to show greater respect for the journalistic profession, to refrain from all forms of pressure and threats, and to actively contribute to creating an environment in which journalists will be able to work freely, responsibly and with dignity. A very important prerequisite for the general improvement of the environment in this area is certainly the improvement of the labor and legal status of journalists, which has also been pointed out for years, and in addition, the majority of media workers still have salaries below the national average, according to data from the Media Union," the statement reads.
In this context, as they said, it is important to particularly emphasize the unenviable position of local public broadcasters.
They remind that the European Commission also points to the lack of social dialogue, the need to improve working conditions, the absence of a sectoral collective agreement in the media industry, precarious working arrangements, and chronic problems in the area of media regulation.
"In addition to the worrying fact of the number of attacks on media workers from year to year, the fact that female journalists are particularly exposed to risks is additionally worrying, as confirmed by the massive support for the Declaration on Improving the Safety of Female Journalists in the Western Balkans, initiated by the SafeJournalists network. Female journalists continue to face online harassment, threats, physical intimidation, discrimination and gender-based violence, which often leads to self-censorship and violation of professional autonomy," the Ombudsman points out.
They say that the protection of journalists is not exclusively a matter of the safety of a profession, but an essential issue of the realization of human rights as a whole.
"Free, independent and professional journalism is a mechanism through which citizens exercise their right to information, participate in public life and influence the accountability and transparency of public administration processes and other socio-political factors. Therefore, attacks on journalists, pressures, economic insecurity and institutional shortcomings directly threaten the public's right to know, weaken trust in democratic institutions and lead to a narrowing of the space for freedom of expression, critical thinking and social dialogue," they add.
In this sense, as stated, the protection of the dignity, safety and professional autonomy of journalists is an obligation of the state and all social actors in accordance with international human rights standards.
"The Decision on the establishment of an Inter-ministerial Working Group for the establishment of a mechanism for the safety of journalists is certainly encouraging, with which the Government of Montenegro has taken a step towards the implementation of the Protocol for the Protection of Journalists. However, statistical data and experience from the field clearly indicate that additional and continuous efforts are necessary," the statement reads.
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