11. 10. 2013

MONTENEGO JOURNALISTS SEEK INVESTIGATION RESULTS

Podgorica, October 11, 2013 (B92) - Journalists of Montenegrin media have asked at a protest in Podgorica for quick and efficient discovery of the perpetrators and instigators of the attack on journalists in Montenegro.

Media  trade union in Montenegro urged the Minister of the Interior, the Director of Police and Public Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute all cases of verbal and physical attacks against journalists, especially those which involved public officials.

Journalists have invited the European Commission to "does not stop asking who is behind the attacks" on media workers, and colleagues to show solidarity in the fight for their rights, and that "politics and divisions be set aside."

The reason for the protest was that two months have passed from the attacks on journalists Tufik Softic and the fact that the authorities have not discovered who threw the bomb in the courtyard of his house in Berane or who was behind the attack.
Softic was brutally beaten six years ago and that attack against him has not been officially solved.

He, however, shared today with colleagues from the media and NGO activists gathered at the protest information that an " image exists of" attacks against him in 2007, and that the authorities known the attackers and the instigator.

Softic said that, according to the information available to him, the attackers and the instigator are outside Montenegro and expressed doubt that after six years evidence may be secured for the attack.

Despite the doubts, Softic publicly asked the authorities to "even " shed light on the attack from 2007.

Executive Director of "Action for Human Rights" Tea Gorjanc Prelević said that the state "failed the test" and asked that journalists have a protection status like officials.

In the last decade there were a number of unsolved attacks on journalists, nor has the murder of the director of "Days " Dusko Jovanovic been fully solved, nor is the motive of this crimes from 2004  known.

It is unknown who attacked and why the sports reporter Mladen Stojovic six years ago in  Bar, and the motive for the attack against the "News" journalist Oliver Lakic.

"Once again we urge and demand that this and all unsolved cases of attacks against journalists be resolved ", said earlier the president of the Media Union Marijana Camovic. According to her, the frequency of physical and verbal attacks on media professionals engage in journalistic activities in Montenegro has become unbearable .

Member of the Management Board of the Media Union Zoran Radulovic asked for accelerated investigations of attacks on journalists, and if those running  them are not capable, it should be given to others.

"Journalists are frequently the target of attacks, and only because of their work. Only in the summer there were five attacks, "he said.

Montenegrin Interior Minister Rasko Konjevic announced earlier that by year-end a committee will be formed to check whether the state authorities in cases of unexplained murders and attacks on journalists have done everything within its jurisdiction.

He explained that the committee will have representatives of the Ministry of the Interior i.e. the Police, Prosecutors office, NGOs and the media. The Montenegrin minister added that during the formation of the committee the experiences that exist in the region will be used.