By The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (SMCG) strongly condemns the behavior of certain officials from the Parliament of Montenegro and the head of the parliamentary group of the Nova srpska demokratija Dejan Đurović, as well as their attempt to remove media representatives from the parliamentary chamber during yesterday’s incident at the plenary session.
We remind Mr. Đurović and other public officials that the media are not there to serve their interests but to work in the public interest, which includes reporting on, as he put it, the “disgrace” of MPs elected by the citizens.
It is important to emphasize that the role of the media is to critically observe all relevant societal developments, especially the actions of those in positions of power. In this context, the plenary sessions, during which MP Jevrosima Pejović was unjustifiably silenced and subjected to gender stereotyping, are a prime example. It is crucial that citizens are aware that their representatives in parliament should undergo additional training on gender equality to effectively propose policies in this area.
As we have pointed out countless times, public officials must understand that the media are not a service they can hire and dismiss when it suits them. Accountability to the public also entails responsibility and appropriate behavior toward all media outlets, regardless of their editorial policies. We urge all public officials to use self-regulation mechanisms if they feel their rights have been violated, rather than targeting the media or, worse, obstructing their work.
The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro will, in the coming period, initiate discussions with civil society organizations specializing in media and journalism and propose solutions to ensure that media professionals can carry out their work in parliament without hindrance.
