Željko Ivanović Daily Press 2011 Freedom of Speech and Press in the Western Balkan and Turkey (with emphasis on Montenegro)

Željko Ivanović

Daily Press 2011

Freedom of Speech and Press in the Western Balkan and Turkey

(with emphasis on Montenegro)

Daily Press 2011

The independence of media in the region is not (only) defined with money, but with the existential need to:

• Have a freedom of tought and speech instead of the political singlemindness,

• Have trustworthiness instead of propaganda;• Fight with justice instead with the proclaimed “higher

purpose”;• Have the rule of law instead of the rule of individuals; • Have market competition instead of nepotism.

Media are independent depending on how much money they have ( Rupert Murdoch)

Daily Press 2011The independent media have provided the transition in the region

After the end of war, the transition has imposed new obstacles for the freedom of the press:

• Nepotism

• Corruption

• Organized crime:

- economic crime

- classic forms of crime

Freedom of the press is directly proportional to the readiness of the government to fight against the organized crime and for the establishment of the rule of law.

Daily Press 2011Montenegro has not brought the political decision about the effective

fight against the organized crime and corruption (T.M. Countryman)

Montenegro is advancing in the EU integrations while the freedom of the press is going back into the ’90s

• The representatives of the govmt and organized crime file mutual law suits against the independent media

• In comparison to the period of war, the number of physical attacks on journalists is rising

•There is no serious investigation of the attacks on journalists

Targeted by the govmt - independent media and NGO MANS are the only obstacle to the people in power to rob the national resources

Daily Press 2011

The EC has made a truthful report for the first time at the end of last year, which detected problems in Montenegro

• The first political change - new PM appointed

• Dualism of power created - the PM rules the Govmt, former PM as a president of the current Party in power rules the policies of the Govmt.

• Media controlled by the Govmt are in charge of beautifying the picture of Montenegro and covering up the illegalities.

EU begins to understand the problem

Daily Press 2011

Not a single new EU member state would undergo a serious transition has it not been for the euro-atlantic integrations

• Montenegro is at a phase shift

• We envy those who fight with the influence of the advertisers on the editing politics

• Advancement in the region will have a spill over effect on Montenegro as well

We only fear the EU integration without the real transition

No EU integration - no transition

Željko Ivanović

Daily Press 2011

Hvala na strpljenju!Thank you for your patience!