Today, nearly 50 NGOs and over 30 editors and journalists of the Montenegrin media sent an open letter to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Du\u0161ko Markovi\u0107, requesting that he postpone public debates and consultations on amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information until the end of the coronavirus epidemic.<\/p>\n
The request to discuss this law after the epidemic was previously supported by Transparency International from Berlin, Access Info Europe from Madrid, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project OCCRP, and experts in the field of the right of free access to information.<\/p>\n
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OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT<\/p>\n
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Dear Mr. Prime Minister,<\/p>\n
We call on you to postpone public consultations on amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information, which foresee numerous restrictions on the work of investigative journalists and NGO sector, until the end of the epidemic.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n In a situation where the peak of the coronavirus epidemic is expected and in the atmosphere of uncertainty, it is necessary, more than ever, for citizens to have full trust in the institutions of the state, while fake news can leave enormous consequences. Therefore, we expected that the Government would work on increasing the openness of institutions, in cooperation with the media and NGO sector, instead of creating conditions in such situation to withhold even more information.<\/p>\n The decision of the Ministry to put the Law on Free Access to Information up for discussion right now does not contribute to the trust of citizens in the work of the Government. The law has been sharply criticized by journalists, non-governmental activists and foreign experts, while the European Commission has repeatedly pointed to the poor legal framework and even worse practice of institutions. We noted that the Ministry of Public Administration on Friday extended the deadline for submitting comments until April 13, and announced that it would organize a discussion via video conference afterwards.<\/p>\n We would like to remind you that at this moment there is a strong need for accurate and verified information in order to avoid a flood of fake news. This will not be possible if institutions continue to withhold information, and in particular, if they are provided with the legal basis that will exist if such law is adopted.<\/p>\n Namely, this version of amendments to the law also contains numerous norms which, contrary to the Constitution and standards, narrow the rights of citizens to information held by state bodies, and in particular restricts the work of investigative journalists and NGO sector.<\/p>\n Although we can send more specific comments by April 13, we do not think that it is appropriate to organise consultation on such important issues by video link in such situation when even the Parliament does not hold sessions, thus we once again urge that the whole matter be postponed until the situation returns to normal.<\/p>\n The proposed amendments allow institutions to withhold even more information than before, while in the eve of elections, political parties are abolished from the obligation to publish information on all finances. It is not prescribed what can be considered trade or tax secrets, and under what conditions information exchanged with other countries or international organizations can be hidden. At the same time, courts and prosecutor\u2019s offices are allowed to withhold all information about court proceedings and investigations.<\/p>\n However, now when the epidemic is officially declared, while citizens are locked in their homes, and after numerous restrictions on movement and gatherings are introduced, there are no elementary conditions for holding a meaningful public debate on the issue. The debate on the Law at the time of the epidemic is by no means fitting into the dialogue that you have started within the Alliance for Europe, and it completely refutes everything that is presented as the aim of the initiative.<\/p>\n We hope that the decision to hold public consultations on the citizens’ constitutional right to access information during the epidemic has been taken in haste, and therefore we urge you to hold an adequate public debate on this Law only after citizens are allowed to attend public meetings.<\/p>\n The undersigned NGOs, media editors and journalists:<\/p>\n NGO The Network for Affirmation of NGO Sector \u2013 MANS<\/p>\n NGO Human Rights Action – HRA<\/p>\n NGO Institute Alternative – IA<\/p>\n NGO The Centre for Monitoring and Research – CEMI<\/p>\n NGO Center for Civil Liberties – CEGAS<\/p>\n NGO Center for Democratic Transition – CDT<\/p>\n Center for Investigative Journalism of Montenegro – CIN-CG<\/p>\n NGO Centre for Democracy and Human Rights – CEDEM<\/p>\n NGO 35 mm<\/p>\n Crime and corruption reporting network \u2013 LUPA<\/p>\n NGO Center for Protection and Research of Birds \u2013 CZIP<\/p>\n NGO Green Home<\/p>\n NGO Expeditio<\/p>\n NGO Media Centre<\/p>\n NGO Young Roma<\/p>\n NGO European Association for Law and Finance (EALF)<\/p>\n NGO ADAMAS<\/p>\n Committee of Young Lawyers of Montenegro<\/p>\n Montenegrin Youth Initiative<\/p>\n Youth Workers Alliance Montenegro<\/p>\n Montenegrin Debate Union<\/p>\n NGO Women\u2019s Safe House \u2013 S\u017dK<\/p>\n NGO Montenegrin Ecologists Society \u2013 CDE<\/p>\n Roma Youth Organization \u201cWalk with us – Phiren Amenca\u201d<\/p>\n NGO Our Action<\/p>\n Organisation KOD<\/p>\n Politikon Network<\/p>\n Association of Paraplegics Podgorica<\/p>\n NGO Eco Team<\/p>\n NGO Centre for Entrepreneurship<\/p>\n Association of Paraplegics Bijelo Polje and Mojkovac<\/p>\n Union of Free Trade Unions of Montenegro<\/p>\n Committee of Lawyers for the Protection of Human Rights of Montenegro (CKZP)<\/p>\n NGO Association for Civil Society Development Bijelo Polje<\/p>\n NGO Institute for Business and Financial Literacy<\/p>\n Dr Martin Schneider \u2013 Jacoby Association MSJA<\/p>\n NGO Association of Youth with Disabilities of Montenegro \u2013 UMHCG<\/p>\n NGO Anima<\/p>\n NGO Workers from Bankrupt Companies in Montenegro<\/p>\n Foundation \u201cHELP \u2013 Action for North of Montenegro\u201d<\/p>\n NGO Hope Herceg Novi<\/p>\n NGO UZPD Nik\u0161i\u0107<\/p>\n Network for education and development of support services for persons with disabilities – MERSP<\/p>\n NGO Nit<\/p>\n Hand of Friendship Foundation<\/p>\n NGO Pandora, Herceg Novi<\/p>\n NGO Identity<\/p>\n Editors and journalists<\/p>\n Tatjana A\u0161anin, editor, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Nikola Markovi\u0107, editor, DAN<\/p>\n Marijana Bojani\u0107, director,TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Tina Popovi\u0107, editor, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Mihailo Jovovi\u0107, programme editor, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Srdan Kosovi\u0107, editor, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Marko Ve\u0161ovi\u0107, journalist, DAN<\/p>\n Milka Tadi\u0107 Mijovi\u0107, director, CIN-CG<\/p>\n Goran Kapor, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Damira Kala\u010d, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Danilo Ajkovi\u0107, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Jelena Jovanovi\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Milica Krgovi\u0107, journalist, DAN<\/p>\n Vuk Lajovi\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Darko Ivanovi\u0107, journalist<\/p>\n Svetlana \u0110oki\u0107, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Danijela Lasica, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Sini\u0161a Lukovi\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Dra\u0161ko Mila\u010di\u0107, journalist, DAN<\/p>\n Milorad Milo\u0161evi\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Marija Mirja\u010di\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Ana Ostoji\u0107, journalist, DAN<\/p>\n Vladimir Ota\u0161evi\u0107, journalist, DAN<\/p>\n Milo\u0161 Rudovi\u0107, journalist, ID Vijesti<\/p>\n Majda \u0160aboti\u0107, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Du\u0161ko Vukovi\u0107, journalist<\/p>\n Dobrila Plamenac Vukovi\u0107, editor in chief, PCNEN<\/p>\n Tijana Pravilovi\u0107, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n Milena Perovi\u0107 Kora\u0107, journalist, Monitor<\/p>\n Bojana Bojovi\u0107 Golijanin, journalist, TV Vjesti<\/p>\n Mileva Kosti\u0107, journalist, TV Vijesti<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today, nearly 50 NGOs and over 30 editors and journalists of the Montenegrin media sent an open letter to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Du\u0161ko Markovi\u0107, requesting that he postpone public debates and consultations on amendments to the Law on Free Access to Information until the end of the coronavirus epidemic. The request to discuss<\/p>\n