Annual Assembly of European Federation of Journalists

The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) Annual Assembly participants say independence of journalists and freedom of expression must be respected. Annual Assembly of European Federation of Journalists The difficult position of reporters in Serbia also needs to be tackled, the gathering in Belgrade heard. EFJ Preisdent Arne Konig said that there are many jobless reporters in Serbia and that journalists are exposed to political pressures and often have to work under police escort. He added that the quality of journalism is dropping and that the lack of the media in the inland and regions is notable. During the opening of the Assembly, the EFJ president said that the EFJ gives full support to the drafting of the media strategy and expressed hope that some tangible results would be achieved which are important for the development of democracy in Serbia. It is up to Serbia to decide whether it would take the course that will bring it into the EU, but it is up to us to encourage the country to use European standards, Konig said. President of the Serbian Association of Journalists (UNS) Ljiljana Smajlovic said that it is necessary to fight fiercely and defend freedom of expression, regardless of who may be sitting in the government. She expressed gratitude to the EFJ for staging its Assembly in Belgrade and added that the UNS and the EFJ share the same aspirations but that the circumstances differ. President of the Trade Union of Journalists in Serbia Dragana Cabarkapa said that the EFJ's support to the trade union of reporters is exceptionally important and pointed to the difficult material position of reporters in Serbia. President of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) Vukasin Obradovic recalled that murders of journalists Slavko Curuvija, Dada Vujasinovic and Milan Pantic still remain unsolved and that police escort is a part of the everyday life of many a Serbian reporter. Ljiljana Smajlovic (Tanjug) "Agreement between media and state" Serbian President Boris Tadic stated on Wednesday that the relations between the state and the media are delicate and multidimensional, adding that there can be no democracy or perspective for Serbia without free media. “The media are the controllers of the state. The media are researchers. They should illuminate the processes in the society and point to oversights and crime. They are a corrective instrument of the public and an one of its unavoidable building factors, and that is why they have a special role in the creation of the atmosphere in the society,” Tadic underscored. During the meeting of the European Federation of Reporters, Tadic said that the government cannot be the owner of the media but that there are many dilemmas in the EU with regard to this issue and that there are also different models for solving this problem. “As the president of the country, I carefully analyze all processes in the society. Nobody is naive here. Both the media and the state stand for certain interests,” Tadic said and added that these interests do not always overlap. The society cannot be democratic without elementary agreement between these two sides, he pointed out. Tadic reflected on the relations between the government and the media and underscored that the media represent a part of the state in a wider sense and that the relations between the state and the media are delicate and multidimensional. He said that he would fight for freedom of the media and reporters' status, and pointed out that there can be no democracy or perspective for Serbia without free media. Tadic said that Serbia can never be a democratic society unless the media have a clear perspective, and added that the media strategy represents a contribution to this goal. He agreed that reporter's situation today is difficult, but not worse than it was in the '90s, and underscored that the period of the 90's was marked by executions of reporters. Serbia cannot be stable until the cases of murdered reporters are solved, he noted. Tadic underscored that Serbia is a free society and that the country has changed considerably after certain events, such as the arrest of the ICTY indictee Ratko Mladic. In this context, he pointed out stereotypes that have appeared in the media following Mladic's arrest. “All those who claimed that Serbia made calculations with regard to Mladic's arrest were not telling the truth,” Tadic underlined.

Annual Assembly of European Federation of Journalists

The difficult position of reporters in Serbia also needs to be tackled, the gathering in Belgrade heard.

EFJ Preisdent Arne Konig said that there are many jobless reporters in Serbia and that journalists are exposed to political pressures and often have to work under police escort.

He added that the quality of journalism is dropping and that the lack of the media in the inland and regions is notable.

During the opening of the Assembly, the EFJ president said that the EFJ gives full support to the drafting of the media strategy and expressed hope that some tangible results would be achieved which are important for the development of democracy in Serbia.

It is up to Serbia to decide whether it would take the course that will bring it into the EU, but it is up to us to encourage the country to use European standards, Konig said.

President of the Serbian Association of Journalists (UNS) Ljiljana Smajlović said that it is necessary to fight fiercely and defend freedom of expression, regardless of who may be sitting in the government.

She expressed gratitude to the EFJ for staging its Assembly in Belgrade and added that the UNS and the EFJ share the same aspirations but that the circumstances differ.

President of the Trade Union of Journalists in Serbia Dragana Čabarkapa said that the EFJ's support to the trade union of reporters is exceptionally important and pointed to the difficult material position of reporters in Serbia.

President of the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) Vukasin Obradović recalled that murders of journalists Slavko Ćuruvija, Dada Vujasinović and Milan Pantić still remain unsolved and that police escort is a part of the everyday life of many a Serbian reporter.

"Agreement between media and state"

Serbian President Boris Tadić stated on Wednesday that the relations between the state and the media are delicate and multidimensional, adding that there can be no democracy or perspective for Serbia without free media.

“The media are the controllers of the state. The media are researchers. They should illuminate the processes in the society and point to oversights and crime. They are a corrective instrument of the public and an one of its unavoidable building factors, and that is why they have a special role in the creation of the atmosphere in the society,” Tadić underscored.

During the meeting of the European Federation of Reporters, Tadić said that the government cannot be the owner of the media but that there are many dilemmas in the EU with regard to this issue and that there are also different models for solving this problem.

“As the president of the country, I carefully analyze all processes in the society. Nobody is naive here. Both the media and the state stand for certain interests,” Tadić said and added that these interests do not always overlap. The society cannot be democratic without elementary agreement between these two sides, he pointed out.

Tadić reflected on the relations between the government and the media and underscored that the media represent a part of the state in a wider sense and that the relations between the state and the media are delicate and multidimensional.

He said that he would fight for freedom of the media and reporters' status, and pointed out that there can be no democracy or perspective for Serbia without free media.

Tadić said that Serbia can never be a democratic society unless the media have a clear perspective, and added that the media strategy represents a contribution to this goal.

He agreed that reporter's situation today is difficult, but not worse than it was in the '90s, and underscored that the period of the 90's was marked by executions of reporters. Serbia cannot be stable until the cases of murdered reporters are solved, he noted.

Tadić underscored that Serbia is a free society and that the country has changed considerably after certain events, such as the arrest of the ICTY indictee Ratko Mladić.

In this context, he pointed out stereotypes that have appeared in the media following Mladić's arrest.

“All those who claimed that Serbia made calculations with regard to Mladić's arrest were not telling the truth,” Tadić underlined.