May 01 2009

FYROMacedonian Journalists To Stage Protest

Posted by History in Articles, FYROM news, newspapers, skopje

FYROMacedonian Journalists To Stage Protest

Skopje | 01 May 2009

FYROMacedonia’s journalists’ association on Thursday called its members to join a protest called “Five Minutes of Loud Silence” staged to highlight growing political interference in their work.

The action, set for Sunday, envisages a five-minute break of all news programs aired by electronic media across the country. It will go under the slogan “For journalists’ dignity, for a dignified profession”.

The journalists will protest against ”pressures, political influences, (low) salaries”, a statement released by the journalists’ association says.

On Monday journalists and others employed in the media will take part in a protest walk at Skopje’s main square.

The events will be organised to mark May 3, World’s Freedom of the Press Day.

Both the EU and Freedom House, a non profit organisation that monitors democracy and press freedom around the world, have expressed concern about political and business interference in the media. At the start of the year, the EU ambassador to the country, Erwan Fouere, publicly stated that the freedom of the press must be protected.

Although the ruling VMRO DPMNE party has said its officials will stop filing court cases against journalists, the Association says its members continue to be put under pressure.

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