DPM Pažin: Government fully supports work of Media Commission

Podgorica, Montenegro (8 February 2018) -- At today's session, the Montenegrin Cabinet discussed the Overall Summary Report by the Media Commission tasked with monitoring investigations into cases of violence against journalists.

The Government supports the work of the Media Commission and is ready to meet all its recommendations within the government’s remit and in accordance with the law, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Zoran Pažin told a press conference following the Cabinet session.

"I underline, in particular, that the Government shares the concern expressed by the Media Commission with regard to the cases for which the statute of limitations is at risk of expiring in a near future. As a society, we must not remain indifferent to that fact and we need to make sure that the authorities have done everything in their power to fully investigate each individual case,” said Deputy Prime Minister Pažin.

He stressed that at today's session the Government adopted conclusions recommending the Supreme State Prosecutor's Office to intensify its activities and review the efficiency and effectiveness of all investigations into the cases of violence against journalists and media property and inform the government accordingly within 30 days.

DPM Pažin stated that the Government also tasked the police to review the conduct of police officers in the investigations into violence against journalists and media property based on the findings of the Media Commission's report, to determine whether there had been any omissions in their work and to inform the Government within 30 days.

PUBLIC RELATIONS SERVICE OF THE GOVERNMENT

Full press statement by Deputy Prime Minister Zoran Pažin:

“At today's session, the Government considered the overall summary report by the Media Commission.

The Government has voiced support for the work of the Media Commission and expressed full readiness to meet all the recommendations made by the Commission, of course, those that lie within the remit of the government and in line with applicable regulations.

I underline, in particular, that the Government shares the concern expressed by the Media Commission with regard to the cases for which the statute of limitations is at risk of expiring in a near future. As a society, we must not remain indifferent to that fact and we need to make sure that the authorities have done everything in their power to fully investigate each individual case.

For that reason, at today’s session, in view of the findings from the Commission’s report, the Government adopted a set of conclusions, recommending the Supreme State Prosecutor’s Office to intensify its activities and review the efficiency and effectiveness of all investigations into the cases of violence against journalists and media property that have been or are still within the remit of the prosecution authorities, and to inform the Government about the steps that have been undertaken within 30 days, with special reference to the cases for which the statute of limitations is at risk of expiring during 2018.

In addition, the Government has instructed the Police Administration to review, based on the findings from the Commission’s report, the conduct by police officers in investigations into violence against journalists and media property and to established if there had been any potential omissions and to inform the Government accordingly, within 30 days.

Since the Media Commission has raised the issue of the denial of access to personal data in the investigation files, and also having in mind the different practices between the Police Administration and the Prosecution Office, whereby the Police Administration is following the guidelines provided by the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information, while the Prosecution Office is not denying access to personal data, we have sent a recommendation to the Agency for Personal Data Protection and Free Access to Information to re-examine its position on this issue and, of course, to reconsider the possibility of providing members of the Commission with access to personal data, of course, only to the extent required for the work of the Commission and in accordance with applicable regulations.

In addition, the Government has found a positive solution to the question of fees for the members of the Commission, which was also identified by this body as a problem in their work.

And finally, the Government has accepted the Commission’s initiative and it has instructed the Ministry of Interior to publish regularly on its website all the Commission’s reports and recommendations, as well the conclusions that the Government will be adopting based on those recommendations in the coming period.

Therefore, I expect that we will receive feedback from relevant institutions in a relatively short period of time, within 30 days, and I expect that feedback to serve as an encouragement to the Commission to be even more efficient in its future work.”