AJM: A public confrontation between the Municipality of Valandovo and the journalists is inadmissible

The Association of Journalists of Macedonia – AJM condemns the public confrontation of the Municipality of Valandovo with journalists.

Today on the official profile of the Municipality of Valandovo on the social network Facebook was published a reaction on the journalist Vane Trajkov post with the title “Folk Fest Valandovo did not receive money from the Ministry of Culture because the municipality applied for the wrong competition.”

In the written reaction, the Municipality of Valandovo on Facebook says that due to the publication of this news by colleague Trajkov, without asking for an answer from the Municipality, as requested by the Ministry of Culture, they believe that his act is unprofessional and tendentious.

AJM warns that such public communication can be interpreted as an attempt at censorship. We remind you that journalists have a legitimate right to be interested in the work of municipalities, especially in the area of allocation of public funds.

AJM, as well as the regional centre of AJM in Strumica, appeals that if the municipality of Valandovo was dissatisfied with the way any journalist or media outlet is reporting, there are self-regulatory mechanisms available as a complaint to the AJM Honor Council or to the Appeals Commission within Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CMEM).