Balkans, EU continue struggle for press freedom

Balkans, EU continue struggle for press freedom

Balkan countries remain a dangerous place for journalists, according to a recent report on media freedom.

Macedonian journalists warn about regression of media freedom in the country. [Tomislav Georgiev/SETimes]

A report by the international media NGO Reporters Without Borders noting that freedom of information and journalists' lives in the region are at risk alarmed international experts and media freedom defenders who are concerned about journalists' rights in Balkans.

"Unfortunately, the situation in the whole region is far from ideal," Dunja Mijatovic, Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) representative on freedom of the media, told SETimes. "Looking generally in almost all countries, we can see more and more economic pressure on journalists and the media."

The report lowered Montenegro's rating to 114th out of 180 nations -- its lowest mark in the history of the annual report – citing journalist safety.

Soon after the report was released, a vehicle of the Montenegro daily newspaper Vijesti was set on fire -- the fifth time in the last two years that a Vijesti vehicle was burned. Police have not investigated any of these cases so far.

Oliver Vujovic, secretary general of the Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), said a large number of unsolved attacks on journalists in Montenegro indicate that "some state structures are not doing their job."

"I absolutely have no illusions that they will handle something because the judiciary in Montenegro is a part of the ruling system; they've proved that too many times," Esad Kocan, chief editor of the Montenegro's weekly Monitor, told SETimes.

"Frequent...