Ombudsman: Insufficient media freedom, improvement in laws

BELGRADE- The media in Serbia are not free to an extent characteristic of a modern European state and society, but the adoption of the three media laws have marked a real step forward in normative terms, Serbia's Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic stated in his annual report.

The report notes that self-censorship pervades the media industry, while critical reporting was in 2014 labeled as "an indecent anti-state activity that hinders reforms".

The moves that the country's officials are taking and the circumstances in the media market are conducive to self-censorship or tendentious reporting which is detrimental to the right of each and every citizen to be timely, accurately and fully informed about the issues of public importance, as guaranteed by the Constitution.

Journalists are frequently exposed to covert or overt threats, and the state did not prove efficient in combating them, the ombudsman said.

In such situations, journalists are forced to choose between their own safety and provision of information of public importance, the release notes.

Photo Video Tanjug,ilustration