The European Commission gathered 400 representatives of the media,
international institutions and government authorities from Balkan and
Turkey in the second conference of “Speak Up!”
Regardless the conclusions and changes that the first conference brought, which was organized in 2011, the media freedom situation is still deteriorated.
Dunja Mijatovic, representative of Media Freedom at the OSCE – From the first time that I spoke on this conference, two years ago, the media freedom situation has deteriorated in Balkan countries and Turkey. The fact that there’s no political will from the authorities is also concerning, because without that there can be no development. In the candidate countries and the potentially candidate countries I have constantly raised the issues of threats and public attacks against journalists, who are beaten and imprisoned because of their job. I have raised the issue of media companies that are closed or their property is damaged and seized; for media laws that are changed on a rush, constantly without transparency, and so on.
Jerzy Buzek, European Parliament Member – The most concerning tendencies are direct and financial threats, which bring self-censorship.
Fergus O’Dowd, Irish presidency at the European Union – The ability of the media to tell the truth and challenge the authorities is one of the pillars on which democracy is based. If this capacity is limited, by whatever form, then we are poorer. If one media is affected by the interest of its owners, by the fear from authorities or the opinions of a single group, then democracy is even more deteriorated.
Stefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement at the European Union – When my mother wanted to know about my health, she used a thermometer to measure my body temperature. If you want to know how democratic a country is, see the media freedom index and then we won’t need to see the index of corruption or democracy, because we would have a very clear image of that country.
The conclusions of this conference will serve to the European Commission to control the respecting of the media freedom by the countries that aspire to become EU members. Same as two years ago, the Commission will give these conclusions to all Prime Ministers of Balkan and Turkey.
Prepared by: Arta Tozaj
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