AJM with an initiative for multi-sectoral cooperation to improve the safety of journalists

Effective implementation of the laws for better safety of journalists is one of the topics discussed at today’s working meeting with Minister Bojan Marichikj organized by the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM).

Amendments to the Criminal Code that provide systematic protection of journalists in case of violation of their rights as well as the Law on Civil Liability for Defamation and Insult which reduces non-pecuniary damage to journalists are already in parliamentary procedure and are expected to be adopted in the coming period.

The President of AJM, Mladen Chadikovski at the meeting pointed out that our country has a number of obligations that need to be met in order to improve the rights of media workers. These obligations are set out in Council of Europe Recommendation CM / Rec (2016) 4 on the protection of journalism and the safety of journalists and other media actors as well as in the new recommendations of the European Commission of 16 September 2021 on improving the position and safety of journalists in the EU.

It was agreed at the meeting that the Ministry of Justice in the coming weeks will initiate coordination between AJM and partner media organizations together with representatives of the prosecution, civil and criminal courts, as well as the Academy for Training of Judges and Public Prosecutors. The purpose of this coordination is to start with more sectoral cooperation in order more effectively to implement the new amendments to the Criminal Code for the protection of media workers as well as the recommendations of the Council of Europe and the European Commission.