WORLD NEWS FOR MONTENEGRO DIASPORA
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AUTHOR:M.J. GDNUS
The Media Union of Montenegro will again this year participate in the regional action "Five minutes of thunderous silence" organized on the occasion of May 3 - World Press Freedom Day.
They appeal to the media to join the action planned for today from 11:55 to 12:00.
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the Media Union of Montenegro (SMCG) makes the following:
P R O L L A T I O N
"On World Press Freedom Day, we would like to remind you that the position of media professionals in Montenegro is still not at a level that would guarantee their safety, dignity and professional autonomy. Although certain progress has been recorded, the essential struggle for free media is still ongoing.
During 2024, there was an increase in salaries in the media sector, as in the rest of the country, due to the implementation of the Europe Now 2 program. However, the salaries of media workers are still below the national average, i.e. closer to the minimum than the average salary - which, in addition to being insufficient for a dignified life, does not reflect the importance that members of this profession have in preserving the democratic order.
Violence and pressure on journalists are not abating. In 2024, 24 incidents were recorded in the SafeJournalist database, which is significantly more than the previous year, when there were 16. In the Media Union, we have not concerned not only about the quantitative increase, but also about the nature of the attacks themselves – such as the brutal physical attack on Ana Raičković.
It is encouraging, however, that this case has received a judicial epilogue – which is a continuation of the trend of faster resolution of cases where media workers are victims. As in previous years, the Media Union will continue to actively strengthen the culture of security in the media sector, especially when it comes to training on risk assessments and active participation in establishing a national response to security challenges.
In addition to physical and economic security, it is equally important to work on improving the psychological security of media workers. Through more than 170 individual sessions within our free psychological support service, as well as through numerous seminars, workshops and publications dedicated to mental health, SMCG strives to open up space for caring for the emotional and mental well-being of journalists – because journalism without people who feel safe and supported is not sustainable.
Some colleagues are, however, further marginalized. As the exhibition “From Frame to Frame: Stories of Journalism” that we organized showed, there are about 230 registered media outlets in Montenegro, and at the same time only about 15 active photojournalists. Most of them work for daily newspapers or foreign agencies, while domestic portals almost never hire them. This clearly testifies to the threat to newspaper photography, which is increasingly being replaced by lifeless illustrations and photos taken with mobile phones – just as quick and superficial news is pushing out segment after segment of real, professional journalism.
A positive step forward is the new Law on Audiovisual Media Services, which has yet to be fully implemented, and which will, we hope, solve the long-standing problem of financing local public broadcasters, but will also improve the economic situation of employees in these media. However, not all municipalities complied with the law when adopting this year’s budget, and the Media Union will continue to insist that this be corrected and that the Law be fully respected.
The Law on Media, adopted in the middle of last year, also brought several important innovations, including, for the first time, the participation of journalists in the election of the editor-in-chief, as well as their position in the event of a change in the ownership or editorial policy of the media.
The Media Union of Montenegro continues to grow. We gather around 700 members, which makes up almost half of all media employees in Montenegro - who work in private, local and public media. We are proud of all our members, especially the young journalists who strengthen our community with their enthusiasm, knowledge and energy. Our Youth Section is making ever greater strides, the most important of which is the youth magazine "Ekipa", two issues of which have already been published.
We do not forget those who are having the hardest time. Together with our colleagues from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), we support media workers reporting from war-affected areas. The solidarity of the media community with media workers who have been killed, wounded or arrested in Ukraine and Gaza must be at a much higher level, and the media must hold governments accountable and provide the public with information about all the crimes that are taking place there.
Solidarity within the guild must be the foundation of all our actions. The fight for rights, safety and professional standards is shared. Only united and organized can we build a media scene that serves the public interest and preserves freedom of speech".
