By The Trade Union of Media of Montenegro (TUMM) welcomes the fact that the European Commission, in its latest Country Report on Montenegro, once again highlights the lack of social dialogue and poor working conditions in the media as major problems within the sector.
According to the report, the media industry, alongside the banking sector, remains one of the key branches of the economy without a sectoral collective agreement, meaning that employees in this field still lack that additional layer of protection.
“A sectoral collective agreement has yet to be signed, which makes it harder for media workers to enjoy the same labor rights as employees in other industries. Journalists’ salaries remain below the national average,” the report states.
The report also notes a concerning example raised by trade union representatives at the national public broadcaster RTCG (Radio and Television of Montenegro), mentioning management pressure, discrimination against union-active employees, and delays in collective bargaining.
TUMM particularly welcomes the report’s recognition of the efforts made by the national Media Union and professional organizations to improve socio-economic conditions, professional standards, and the safety of media workers.
While the European Commission assessed that Montenegro is “moderately prepared in the area of freedom of expression, with some progress made in implementing reforms,” the report also underlines several serious challenges.
A central concern is the failure to appoint the remaining two members of the Council of the Agency for Audio-Visual Media Services (AMU), which has been operating without a full complement since December 2024. The report recalls that, even after three public calls, the Montenegrin Parliament has still not completed the appointments, and that the fourth call is currently underway.
“This situation hampers the full implementation of the legal framework and may have implications for Chapter 10,” the report warns.
“Montenegro must urgently appoint the remaining members of the AMU Council,” is the clear message from the European Commission.
Furthermore, the Commission emphasizes that any potential amendments to media-related legislation must be carried out in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, and must not “undermine the progress achieved so far, particularly regarding the political independence of the public broadcaster RTCG and the AMU, including the protection of their editorial, institutional, and financial independence from any form of undue influence.”
The report also recalls that court proceedings are still ongoing regarding the legality of the appointment of the RTCG Director General, raising concerns about transparency and possible breaches of legal procedures. It further notes that proceedings against several RTCG Council members for abuse of office during the Director General’s appointment recently concluded with a first-instance guilty verdict.
Although the report commends the prompt response of institutions to new cases of attacks on journalists, it again stresses that “cases of harsh verbal attacks on the media and civil society representatives by public officials and political parties — including senior figures in the security and defense sectors — continue to be recorded.”
TUMM has repeatedly warned about the lack of understanding among political powerholders regarding the role of the media in a democratic society.
The European Commission also recommends that Montenegro’s national legislation be aligned with key EU frameworks, including the European Media Freedom Act, the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, and the Artificial Intelligence Act.
Recently, the Ministry of Culture and Media established a Working Group for the implementation of the European Media Freedom Act and the Digital Services Act into Montenegrin law, with the Trade Union of Media of Montenegro as one of its members.
