Meeting of journalists from the eastern regional center

Journalists from the Regional Center of AJM- East held a consultative meeting on Saturday (5 November 2022) in Berovo on the topic “Challenges faced by journalists outside of Skopje when reporting on topics in the field of justice”.

Apart from the review of the knowledge presented in the national study “Attitudes and perceptions of journalists on the transparency of justice in North Macedonia”, the meeting also debated the conditions and problems of journalists and media workers in the region, with the aim of building attitudes about the directions in which it is expected that the activities of AJM will move in the future.

The journalists got acquainted with the results published in the study, primarily with the conclusions and recommendations, but also had their own additional suggestions for improving the situation in this area, which refers to the Stip Appeal. In that direction, the journalists proposed to organize a direct meeting with this institution to define the method of communication. The situation with the prosecutor’s offices is similar. There have been improvements in the basic courts, and public relations persons have been appointed, but journalists believe that greater communication is needed in this sector as well.

Open highlighting of problems was a feature of the debate dedicated to the situations and problems of journalists and media workers. Once again it has been shown that the biggest stumbling block and dissatisfaction is the financing of local media as one of the biggest problems facing journalism in the interior. It was also emphasized here that the current legal solutions also privilege national media to the detriment of regional and local ones.

Another matter that is ongoing, but has not yet had a positive outcome, is the resolution of the status of MRTV correspondents who have been working for a long time on monthly contracts without paid contributions. Also, the colleagues asked for greater participation of AJM members from the interior in the bodies and bodies of AJM, so that the current case does not repeat itself when there is not a single member from outside Skopje on the Board of Directors.

The meeting also discussed the upcoming Election Assembly of AJM, possible candidates who will be supported as members of the Management Board, Supervisory Board, and Honor Council, and the journalists requested that the candidates for the President of AJM have meetings with the Regional Centers, in order to present their program.