A new controversial ruling by the Skopje Basic Civil Court

The Skopje Basic Civil Court, represented by Judge Jovanka Spirovska Paneva, rejected the request to reopen the proceedings for compensation for non-material damage submitted by the plaintiff, Goran Trpenoski. The court’s reasoning in the ruling is unacceptable, as it questions the status of journalists who work or have worked in online media, implying that they are not considered journalists. In the ruling, the judge emphasized that journalist Trpenoski could not have been present in the Assembly as a journalist, citing “existing material legal provisions.” This approach endangers media freedom and the rights of journalists who report through online platforms, opening the door to further restrictions on their work.

This judicial practice establishes double standards for journalists’ rights, especially considering that just ten days ago, colleague Dušica Mrđa received partial justice from the same court. In this ruling, Mrđa was awarded compensation for two grounds—suffering fear and violation of her right to freedom of expression. Beyond the double standards, this ruling not only questions journalists’ right to seek legal protection but also creates a potentially dangerous precedent that encourages censorship and intimidation of the media.

Trpenoski’s lawsuit concerned his request for compensation related to the events of April 27, 2017, in the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, where he, then a reporter for the online media outlet Sakamdakazham.mk, professionally covered the events.

To recall, a large number of journalists and cameramen were prevented from doing their work at this event, with some facing threats and physical assaults. More than seven years after this incident, some journalists are still forced to seek justice on their own through judicial institutions, as the state has failed to protect them.

We remind that the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) and the Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM), due to Judge Jovanka Spirovska Paneva’s rulings, organized a journalist protest on November 17, 2023, under the slogan “Citizens’ Right Before the Interests of the Powerful.”