Dunja Mijatovic

BELGRADE - OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović called today on all responsible stakeholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Serbia, in particular the media, to refrain from inflammatory language that could incite hatred.

The safety of journalists remains the main threat to media freedom in the OSCE region, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic has said.

Mijatovic made the remark on Monday during her visit to Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, the organization said in a statement posted on its website.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic has called on the government of Serbia to end impunity for crimes committed against journalists.

The OSCE Ministerial Council has decided to extend the mandate of OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic, for one year.

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Wednesday welcomed this decision, the organization said in a statement.

The OSCE has warned that "the independence of the broadcast regulator is a key element for media pluralism and freedom of the media."

Montenegro's Interior Ministry has defended police actions against anti-government protesters last year, saying they acted professionally, lawfully and in a restrained manner, in spite of being directly attacked.

"Freedom of expression and free media constitute two imperative tools in fostering a meaningful debate on security issues," says Dunja Mijatovic.

This is also necessary to "effectively address new security challenges," the OSCE representative on Freedom said delivering the Annual Harriman Lecture at Columbia University.

OSCE's representative on freedom of the media has urged the authorities in Bosnia-Herzegovina "to prevent financial collapse of public service broadcasters."

They should "immediately address the long-standing issue of funding for the country’s public broadcasting system," Dunja Mijatovic has said, according to an OSCE statement issued on Tuesday.

OSCE's Freedom of the Media representative has rejected the criticism of her office, voiced earlier on Friday by Aleksandar Vucic and Sergei Lavrov.

The destructive powers of propaganda and its root causes must be eliminated, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic has said.