When pressures grow, freedoms shrink

If political influence on the media, especially on the Public Service, is not urgently stopped, and effective protection of journalists is not ensured, Montenegro risks moving from the category of problems to the category of seriously endangered media freedoms in the coming years, warned a program associate at the Center for Civic Education (CCE) in a statement for "Vijesti" yesterday. Željka Zvicer.

Montenegro has slipped on the Press Freedom Index and this year ranked 41st out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report, while last year it was in 37th position. Of the other countries in the region, Slovenia ranked best (36th place), and Serbia ranked worst (104th place).

The Ministry of Culture and Media did not respond to the editorial board regarding RSF's findings, which, among other things, state that "journalists continue to be targeted through dirty campaigns by politicians, both from the ruling and opposition parties," nor to questions related to developments at Radio and Television of Montenegro (RTCG) - the court ruling on the illegal appointment of the director general. Boris Raonic, which is also emphasized in this year's report by that international organization.

Report

In the RSF report, which accompanies the index, freedom of expression in Montenegro is guaranteed by the Constitution, and defamation is decriminalized, but the legal framework still has weaknesses, especially when it comes to free access to information and the protection of journalistic sources.

The report notes that, despite some progress, media independence "is not sufficiently protected from political and economic pressures."

RSF points out that concerns remain about the authorities' attempts to influence the independence of the public service. As the report states, "a parliamentary majority has adopted a law that allows the RTCG director general to remain in office despite judgments that declared his appointment illegal."

In the section relating to the economic context, the report states that the media market in Montenegro is small and financially unstable, and that the state is one of the largest advertisers, with "a significant portion of funds often directed towards media outlets considered close to the government."

It is added that public service and local public broadcasters are financed mainly from the budget, while private media depend on advertising and face economic insecurity.

The application of the law, RSF emphasizes, is often inconsistent, and problems exist in the area of ​​access to information of public importance and the protection of journalistic sources, while court proceedings are lengthy and place an additional burden on the work of journalists.

The report also points out that society in Montenegro is characterized by deep political, ethnic and religious divisions, which is why the media is often exposed to accusations that they work in the interests of foreign actors or against national interests.

When it comes to security, RSF notes that attacks on journalists continue to be a serious problem and that cases from the previous period remain unresolved - the murder of the editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Dan" Duško Jovanović from 2004 and the wounding of an investigative journalist Oliver Lakic 2018.

Political influence - a stumbling block

For Zvicer, Montenegro's drop in the Media Freedom Index "is not a surprise, but an expected consequence of the continued collapse of standards in the media sector."

"This is also a warning that we are no longer in a phase of stagnation in this area, but of regression," she said.

Of particular concern, she stated, is the fact that negative trends are occurring during a period of formal democratization and progress in the European integration process.

"This further confirms the gap between the normative framework and practice, which is characterized by pressures on the media and media employees," said Zvicer.

She pointed out that the events at RTCG are an illustrative example of political influence and instrumentalization of institutions that should be the pillar of professional and independent journalism.

"In which, even after court rulings and warnings from European Union institutions, the situation with the illegally elected director general is not resolved," said Zvicer.

Member of the RTCG Council Marijana Camović-Velicković She told "Vijesti" that from RSF's brief review, one gets the impression that "the key reason for the decline in the overall level of media freedom is the illegal mandate of RTCG Director General Raonić."

"It is clear that to the ruling majority that keeps him in that position, media freedom means nothing, and perhaps represents a minor stumbling block for them because sometimes they still have to explain what is happening at RTCG and why," she said.

She added that, if it has been decided that the position must be Raonic's or no one's, "it is clear that this measurement will not sway them in that decision," but that it shows that Montenegro "is not on the right track."

"Despite the efforts being made to improve the situation in the media, both when it comes to finances and the sustainability of the media and the safety of employees, everything remains in the shadow of the shameless holding of a position by someone who is in no way worthy of that position or equal to it," said Camović Velicković.

Zvicer adds that the systemic lack of reaction encourages negative trends, including attacks on journalists that still do not have an adequate judicial epilogue, and that economic and political pressures shape editorial policies in most media outlets.

She also pointed out that an additional alarm is the fact that some media outlets were exposed to direct institutional pressure in October last year through orders to conduct an investigation in one case.

"Such a practice has a strong deterrent effect and leads to self-censorship, which is incompatible with the standards promoted by Reporters Without Borders, as well as other international journalist associations," said Zvicer.