Government to form national committee for journalists' safety

The Government has decided to establish a national committee responsible for the protection and safety of journalists, the cabinet’s spokesperson Maria Miteva announced at a press conference this afternoon. The committee will create an organised coordination mechanism between state institutions and media organisations to prevent threats and attacks against journalists.

Action plan due by 15 December

Miteva said the committee is tasked with drafting a national action plan for journalists’ protection and safety no later than 15 December this year, aligned with European standards and international recommendations. The plan will be built around four main pillars: prevention, protection, effective prosecution of perpetrators and education.

On prevention, the focus will be on media pluralism, institutional support and dialogue with media outlets. Protection measures will include rapid-response mechanisms as well as police and legal protection, and will explicitly cover threats in the digital sphere and on social platforms.

Maria Miteva stressed the importance of prompt action when attacks or threats occur: "We want this issue to receive continuous institutional treatment, with clear obligations and concrete mechanisms for action. The safety of journalists must not be a topic only when an incident occurs. On the contrary, safety is our obligation, the obligation of institutions to act promptly, to recognize risks and to provide appropriate protection," she said.

The committee will also prioritise timely investigations and appropriate sanctions under existing legal competences, working closely with competent authorities. The fourth pillar will focus on training, workshops and public-awareness activities aimed at raising understanding of the role and importance of journalism.

Participants in the committee are expected to include the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services, the Academy for Judges and Public Prosecutors, Macedonian Radio-Television and the Association of Journalists of Macedonia. Miteva also announced the committee will support national implementation of the Council of Europe’s "Journalists are Important" campaign.

Addressing reporters directly, Miteva said: "You have the right to ask, we have an obligation to answer." She added that the government insists institutions remain open to the public and that freedom of expression be respected, so that every journalist can perform their work professionally and without selective protection.

Photo: Printskrin