Civic Vojvodina: Instead of removing the names of journalists and editors from the website, BIRN should determine responsibility

The coalition of non-governmental organizations Civic Vojvodina expresses full solidarity with fellow activists in the fight for human rights from Montenegro and with fellow journalists from the neighboring country, who in the BIRN survey were classified as notorious "extreme right-wing and extremist groups in the Balkans".
We call on BIRN, instead of removing the names of the journalists and editors of that project from the website, to determine responsibility for the more than dangerous targeting of our colleagues in Montenegro. In the words of the distinguished European diplomat Vesna Pusić: "With its latest report, the Balkan research network BIRN in Montenegro has become an instrument of attack on human rights activists. A template similar to the Russian strategy, including the targeting of feminist groups like Pussy Riot" - the announcement states.
They called on the public in Serbia and the region to show solidarity with those attacked, "and not to be cowardly silent, waiting to see how the international community and international donors, staring at their own navels, will react."
If we remain silent, the day is not far when those of us who advocate for the protection of human rights from authoritarian regimes, malignant Russian influence and other numerous threats to the security and stability of the region will be put on similar lists, and our human rights will be revoked - they warn. non-governmental organizations.
They point out that the whole atmosphere in Montenegro is frighteningly reminiscent of the one that was created in Serbia before the assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Điniđić.
And then the supposedly independent media and the supposed fighters for human rights united around the platform of criminalizing Đinđić, together with the darkest parts of society, and thus created an environment in which the assassination was actually a "normal consequence". Similar things have been happening in Montenegro for years: part of the "independent media" and the non-governmental sector, together with Belgrade-Moscow exponents, prepared for the failed assassination attempt on Milo Đukanović. Then they did everything to bring the "lithians" to power, who in just two years brought Montenegro to the brink of civil war. Before they came to power, Montenegro was the absolute leader in Euro-Atlantic integration in the region - the statement emphasized.
A coalition of non-governmental organizations called on BIRN to remove colleagues from the list of targets and to at least try to restore some of the damaged integrity.
Otherwise, we will never trust BIRN again with a single written word - concludes the statement of the citizens of Vojvodina, which consists of the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina, the Center for Regionalism, Civic Action Pančevo, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, the Center for Intercultural Communication, Zelena network of Vojvodina and Center of Civic Values ​​from Subotica.
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