Commissioner for Information of Public Importance supported the evaluations of the Independent Association of Serbia Chairlady and the Chairman of the Journalists' Association of Serbia, Mrs. Nadežda Gaće and Mr. Nino Brajović about the status of media freedoms in our country, and appeal of journalists' associations for implementing more energetic measures in order to improve the status in that field.
On that occasion, the Commissioner Rodoljub Šabić stated the following:
“Crucial contribution to resolving many problems in relation to the position and action of media and journalists in the transition process must be given by the journalists and their professional associations themselves. But some problems remain irresolvable without measures that can be implemented only by the government. It is obliged to create conditions for autonomous action of media and freedom from pressures and negative influences of any kind.
Warnings of our journalists' associations regarding the status of media freedoms must not be ignored. One shouldn't either underestimate the fact that on the relevant global ranking lists of media freedoms we fare worse than the last year. Problems that are visible for a long time must be resolved quicker, instead of letting them create new ones. It is important to end media privatization, but it is also equally important to prevent that turn into unacceptable media concentration of another kind. It would be useless to exchange one monopoly with another and therefore it is important to secure that the process of change of ownership structure of the media should be transparent. And in changed ownership conditions, regarding its importance for evaluation of media freedoms in our country, one should underline finding the right solution for functioning of the minority language media. We must neither neglect the fact that we're high on the world ranking lists for various assaults on journalists and it is important that the government should be more energetic and efficient in protection of journalists, discovery and prosecution of the perpetrators.
But by amending the situation in the media field, one can surely and must give extraordinary contribution also by expanding the field for free access to information regarding the work of the government. One must not tolerate obvious resistance to legitimate right of the public to know. By mere availability of documented information to the public regarding the work of the government, we shall shrink the space for media manipulation and spread of disinformation, and simultaneously provide elementary conditions for media action in line with the democratic society interests”.
