Scandal in Gostivar: Theater Employee Attacks Journalist on Duty, ZNM Demands Immediate Action
ZNM demands an immediate investigation after a Gostivar Theater employee verbally attacked a journalist and tried to seize his camera.
Media freedom in the country has once again come under serious attack after TV Globi journalist Blerim Mustafi became the target of an aggressive outburst while reporting on an event of public interest. The incident, which reportedly took place on July 19 in the city of Gostivar, sparked strong public reactions and was immediately met with fierce condemnation from the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (ZNM).
According to the official report, the main actor in this highly unfortunate event is an individual with the initials A.L., who is employed at the local cultural institution – JU Gostivar Theater. Instead of showing elementary respect for the representatives of the press and their work, he first verbally assaulted Mustafi, issuing a series of serious threats. The situation further escalated when the attacker even attempted to physically and forcefully seize the journalist's working equipment, namely his camera, thereby directly preventing him from performing his daily professional duties.
This scandalous case has already been properly reported to the Department of Internal Affairs in Gostivar. A video recording from the scene, which clearly shows the entire course of events, has been submitted as key material evidence in the upcoming proceedings. ZNM issued a strong appeal to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the competent public prosecutor's office for a swift, thorough, and effective investigation. They reiterated that any form of pressure on media workers represents a direct blow to the foundations of democracy and the constitutional right of citizens to be timely and objectively informed.
ZNM President Mladen Chadikovski used the opportunity to express deep concern over the continuously slow reaction of state institutions in such and similar cases. He reminded that the public is still waiting for a resolution to a series of previous serious incidents, such as the unresolved cases of burned vehicles belonging to media workers and the numerous unpunished online threats against journalists. The association announced that it will vigilantly and uncompromisingly monitor the resolution of this latest scandal, insisting on appropriate and strict criminal accountability for the perpetrator.
