Sekulovski at NCEI: North Macedonia’s institutions should seek continued support for media freedom programmes

The Executive Director of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), Dragan Sekulovski, in his capacity as AJM representative in the National Council for European Integration (NCEI), participated today in the eighth session of the Council held at the Parliament.

During the working meeting, organised with the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs, Ambassador of Ireland Brendan Ward presented the programme and priorities of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the period July–December 2026.

In his address, Sekulovski emphasised that European integration, the rule of law, media freedom and journalists’ safety are interconnected issues that require continuous and coordinated support from both domestic and European institutions.

He recalled that over the past ten years, the joint programmes of the European Union and the Council of Europe, first JUFREX and later PRO-FREX, have played an important role in advancing freedom of expression and media freedoms in North Macedonia and the region.

Through these programmes, support has been provided to journalists and media organisations, as well as judges, prosecutors, lawyers, the media regulator and other independent institutions. The activities have focused on journalists’ safety, access to information, media regulation, the implementation of European case law and addressing new digital challenges.

“ The current third phase of the European Union and Council of Europe Horizontal Facility runs until December 2026. Therefore, the Government, the Ministry of European Affairs, the Parliament, the media regulator, judicial institutions and other relevant bodies should already jointly identify priorities and clearly request the continuation of this support. We should not wait for the programme to end and only then conclude that we need further cooperation and additional strengthening of institutional capacities,” Sekulovski stated.

According to him, this issue is particularly relevant in the context of the Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU, among whose priorities are European values, the rule of law in candidate countries, democratic resilience and progress in the enlargement process.

The continuation of regional programmes of the European Commission (primarily IPA programmes), as well as Council of Europe programmes supported through European funds, would represent a practical way to translate these priorities into concrete reforms in candidate countries.

Sekulovski also highlighted the experience of the regional network SafeJournalists.net, in which AJM cooperates with journalists’ associations and unions from seven other countries. Although challenges in each country stem from different national circumstances, attacks against journalists, institutional inefficiency, political and economic pressures, and digital threats often have similar forms and underlying causes.

“The regional approach is essential because it enables the exchange of experiences, recognition of common trends and the adoption of solutions that have already proven effective in other countries,” he stressed.

The address also highlighted the importance of Ireland’s experience in the field of digital and media regulation. Many of the largest online platforms (Meta, Instagram, Twitter and others) have their European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, which gives Irish institutions an important role in the implementation of European digital services regulations.

At the same time, candidate countries, including North Macedonia, continue to face significant limitations in protecting the rights of citizens and journalists when violations occur on major digital platforms.

Sekulovski also addressed strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs, emphasising that they are not only a problem for journalists and are not merely a national but also a regional challenge.

“Abuse of legal proceedings can target anyone participating in debates of public interest, including civil society organisations, activists, experts, citizens, as well as elected representatives and politicians. Anti-SLAPP mechanisms do not mean exemption from legitimate accountability, but rather protection against proceedings aimed at intimidation, financial exhaustion and silencing critical voices,” he said.

At the end of his address, Sekulovski called on domestic institutions to timely and coordinately request the continuation of European Union and Council of Europe programmes, while encouraging the Irish Presidency to support their future within European assistance frameworks and future programming for the Western Balkans.

“This is not a request for support for only one profession. The ultimate benefit is for society as a whole: stronger institutions, better regulation, safer journalism, higher-quality public debate and better-informed citizens. The best outcome would be a society where different views are confronted with arguments rather than with pressure, threats or abuse of institutions,” Sekulovski concluded.

Photo: sobranie.mk