The Council of Media Ethics of Macedonia (CEMM) has issued a reaction to VMRO-DPMNE’s demands for the state news agency MIA to reveal its sources regarding the text that the European People’s Party (EPP) wants to exclude them from their ranks.
“CEMM reminds that one of the basic rights, and sometimes an obligation on part of the journalist is to protect its source. We remind you of Article 4 from the codex of the journalists of Macedonia where it states: “The journalist will state the source of information, but if the source demands to be kept anonymous, the journalist will protect him.” Macedonia has undesigned to all relevant resolutions of the Council of Europe for the protection of sources as part of the freedom of the press. The role of the political parties in one democratic state cannot mean their interference in the work of the journalists and these demands denote an open pressure and efforts for the public discrediting of the medium,” stated further CEMM’s press release.
VMRO-DPMNE has demanded this after EPP’s president, Joseph Daul, at a press conference has said that EPP is considering to exclude Victor Orban’s party from its ranks, while not mentioning VMRO-DPMNE. He released a tweet about VMRO-DPMNE, where he called upon a constructivism instead of boycotting.
The Macedonian Information Agency (MIA) explained that their correspondent from Brussels had her own sources regarding the information, that they published about the exclusion of VMRO-DPMNE from EPP, which was followed by pressure on part of this party about revealing the source.
“Joseph Daul’s tweet cannot be seen as a disclaimer of the information published by MIA a week ago, which were checked and recorded. Therefore, it’s about two completely different events, intended for two different parties, Viktor Orban’s Fides and VMRO-DPMNE, on the same subject. This means that one statement doesn’t deny the other. For both occurrences, MIA has recorded statements in their possession” reacts MIA>
