The Media Institute of Montenegro (IMCG) announced today that it is calling on the Director of the Police Administration (UP), Lazar Šćepanović, to refrain from threatening rhetoric towards journalists and, instead of exerting pressure, to publicly demonstrate that the institution he heads understands its role: to guarantee and protect media freedom and the safety of journalists, and not to intimidate them.
"The Media Institute of Montenegro (IMCG) strongly condemns the threat made to journalist Petar Komnenić on the show Purely on Television Vijesti, pronounced by the Director of the Police Administration Lazar Šćepanović. The announcement that a journalist from one of the most watched political shows in the country will be 'processed' represents pressure not only on the author and the editorial staff, but also a bad message to all journalists who question the work of state bodies, insist on answers and accountability, and do so in the public interest," the IMCG statement states.
According to them, the reason for this threat is Komnenić's insistence that, after two escapes of persons convicted of serious crimes, the responsibility of the competent institutions be established.
"In this context, he symbolically compared the powers and actions of the police to a 'ficus', which the director of the Police Directorate interpreted as an insult to the institution, after which he announced in the studio that he would initiate proceedings against the journalist before the competent authorities. When such a message, even if uttered in emotion, comes from the top of the security institution and is uttered during prime time, it ceases to be a 'personal position' and becomes institutional pressure from a position of power," the statement points out.
IMCG said they would like to remind that the Code of Journalists of Montenegro obliges journalists to serve the public interest, with the right to free comment and criticism and the obligation to critically observe those in power.
"In political shows and interviews, journalists are allowed to use a harsh, persistent and provocative tone when asking questions and criticizing the work of institutions, provided that they act in good faith and with the aim of informing the public. On the other hand, public officials have greater power and responsibility, their work is under constant public scrutiny, and therefore they have a greater obligation to exercise restraint and respect for media freedoms," the IMCG statement reads.
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They also pointed out that threats from positions of power are unacceptable because they produce a frightening effect and can lead to self-censorship, which in the long term weakens the controlling role of the media and further undermines political culture in a society where institutions are fragile and journalists work in an extremely unfavorable socio-economic environment.
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