Translation provided by KoSSev
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia harshly condemns a new attack by Kosovska Mitrovica authorities on the KoSSev portal and gives full support to the editorial staff in the future professional work for which they have been known for in the past years.
The president of Kosovska Mitrovica Provisional Authority, Aleksandar Spiric called out the KoSSev portal for live-streaming an official press conference by this authority on social media and accused the portal of not engaging in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak and causing instability in times of pandemic by asking political questions that suit the authorities in Pristina.
The Kosovska Mitrovica leaders’ ignorance about the fact that press conferences are public events and can be live-streamed is worrying, while the completely unfounded and malicious accusation that the journalists are sabotaging the fight against the spreading of the infection and that they are exponents of Kosovo’s government policy is alarming. Such statements are extremely dangerous and greatly endanger the safety of everyone in the editorial office of KoSSev and their families.
Journalists and editor Tatjana Lazarevic have been living and working under extraordinary circumstances since the day the KoSSev portal was established and they have been the target of physical and verbal attacks – from armed attacks on the editorial office and an arson attack on a vehicle, to website hacking and constant targeting by political authorities. Unfortunately, even during the pandemic, they have not been spared from being called out solely because of the fact that they perform journalistic work in a professional manner and the public interest.
NUNS will enter these pressures into the database of attacks on journalists and inform international journalistic associations and organizations.
We once again urge government officials to refrain from hasty reactions, unfounded allegations, public accusations and dangerous statements that could endanger the safety of all journalists.
KoSSev: The KoSSev portal did not receive an invitation to today’s press conference and the previously agreed-upon conference schedule (noon) was changed. KoSSev was not notified of this change and the portal was, therefore, prevented from attending the conference and asking questions that are in the public interest.
KoSSev once again urges authorities in the north, both those operating under Kosovo and the Serbian system, to begin sending invitations and notice of public events to the editorial staff of KoSSev, as they do with other media outlets – as this is done in the public interest, especially during the coronavirus pandemic when the public has a greater need for timely and accurate information.
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
