International organizations’ reports treat Kosovo as a partially free society for the work of journalists, Editor-in-Chief of RTV KIM, Goran Avramovic said in a broadcast “Sporazum”.
However, I agree with such assessment only if we are looking reality through “pink glasses,” which is often the case in international organizations’ reports, Avramovic added.
Chairperson of the Association of Journalists in Mitrovica South, Hisni Sula thinks there are conditions for a free work of independent media in Kosovo, but it depends to a great extent upon journalists themselves.
“A journalist should be professional and honest in his/her work. Be realistic, respect both sides of the story, write as it is and then you are safe,” Sula, who works as a journalist for almost half a century, said.
Editor of “Crno-beli svet” portal, Sanja Sovrlic thinks the real root of lack of safety for journalists is in the insufficient functioning of institutions.
She supported an initiative of Association of Journalists of Serbia in Kosovo to give an official status to the journalists, which would impact their better legal protection.
All guests in “Sporazum” broadcast, highlighted the importance of a process initiated by journalists associations in Kosovo, supported by OSCE Mission, that should result in the establishment of a commission that would deal with cases of 15 journalists kidnapped or went missing during armed conflict in Kosovo in 1998 and 1999, as well as afterwards.
