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OSCE Mission welcomes staging of World Press Freedom Day in Belgrade
BELGRADE 30 April 2004
BELGRADE, 29 April 2004 - The Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, Ambassador Maurizio Massari, welcomed the staging of the regional World Press Freedom Day 2004 by UNESCO in Belgrade on 2 and 3 May.
"This is the first time that such an event is being held in a country going through a democratic transition and should be seen as one important signal that the Union of Serbia and Montenegro is emerging from years of isolation," he said in a statement.
"This event can also be seen as a reward for all those professional journalists who in the past decade tried to carry out their profession in the most difficult circumstances. They will be able to share their experiences and knowledge with hundreds of colleagues coming to Belgrade from all over the world.
"At this conference, we will all be reminded that freedom of the media is a cornerstone of any democratic society and that it is a freedom that has to be defended every day. The greatest ally in this struggle can be the public if the media is seen as credible and helping the people make informed decisions about their lives.
"Freedom of media and professional and responsible journalism, as opposed to sensationalism, go hand in hand. Such positive trends still need to be fully consolidated in Serbia and Montenegro and in the Balkans, and the OSCE is ready and willing to assist.
"The priority for the OSCE Mission is the adoption and implementation of key legislation - such as the Broadcasting Act, the Telecommunication Act, the Law on Free Access to Information - which is necessary to set in place the right environment for the development of pluralistic and free media, in accordance with international and European standards.
"The policy of the OSCE Mission is exclusively focussed on the respect for law, on universal norms and principles, which must apply to all media actors, regardless of their orientation. We defend norms, not this or that specific electronic or print outlet. This policy of the OSCE Mission is co-ordinated with our Organization's Headquarters in Vienna. Anyone who tries to question that approach is either wrongly informed or in bad faith," Ambassador Massari concluded.
"This is the first time that such an event is being held in a country going through a democratic transition and should be seen as one important signal that the Union of Serbia and Montenegro is emerging from years of isolation," he said in a statement.
"This event can also be seen as a reward for all those professional journalists who in the past decade tried to carry out their profession in the most difficult circumstances. They will be able to share their experiences and knowledge with hundreds of colleagues coming to Belgrade from all over the world.
"At this conference, we will all be reminded that freedom of the media is a cornerstone of any democratic society and that it is a freedom that has to be defended every day. The greatest ally in this struggle can be the public if the media is seen as credible and helping the people make informed decisions about their lives.
"Freedom of media and professional and responsible journalism, as opposed to sensationalism, go hand in hand. Such positive trends still need to be fully consolidated in Serbia and Montenegro and in the Balkans, and the OSCE is ready and willing to assist.
"The priority for the OSCE Mission is the adoption and implementation of key legislation - such as the Broadcasting Act, the Telecommunication Act, the Law on Free Access to Information - which is necessary to set in place the right environment for the development of pluralistic and free media, in accordance with international and European standards.
"The policy of the OSCE Mission is exclusively focussed on the respect for law, on universal norms and principles, which must apply to all media actors, regardless of their orientation. We defend norms, not this or that specific electronic or print outlet. This policy of the OSCE Mission is co-ordinated with our Organization's Headquarters in Vienna. Anyone who tries to question that approach is either wrongly informed or in bad faith," Ambassador Massari concluded.