In the last few days, an open war has been declared, and the latest to join was the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) and the opposition SDSM, after the contemporary Association put all the political parties to put in the same basket as the culprits because they were not not invited to the negotiations on the media which are ongoing, and happening behind closed doors at the MPs Clubhouse in Skopje.
At the request of the Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM), the Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) and the Macedonian Institute for Media (MIM) who yesterday expressed their views through protesting that Journalists’ organizations should be involved in negotiating the media, however the parties have made no positive response. SDSM is categorically against the involvement of these organizations in the negotiations with the justification that the talks between the political parties is in the interest of protecting the public and for the media to be true and to have objective information. VMRO-DPMNE and DUI currently have not commented on their request. The ruling party did say however that it does not depend only on them, if another party does not want journalists to take part in the negotiations. DPA so far is the only party which has had active participation with trade associations and NGOs in discussions of political parties signatory to the Przhino Agreement.
Robert Popovski, a member of the working group from the SDSM in talks for the media sphere yesterday told us at “Meta” that political parties should complete the process of negotiation.
“SDSM always strives for transparency during the negotiations in the working groups. Therefore, when we are in the final phase of negotiations, I am looking for a break every three or four hours, so I can share with the public what has been discussed in the negotiating teams. AJM was in talks with the government, so now we have to correct those laws which they had agreed upon or wanted to negotiate. Secondly, are all parties transparent? SDSM stands for long-term solutions where the media will be free, the regulatory bodies are independent and are not party affiliated” said Mr Popovski for our correspondents at “Meta”.
AJM President Naser Selmani responded to this statement with express speed , on his “Facebook” account and posted:
“They can’t understand that the time when the attitudes of the AJM were being built on Bihachka are over. We have endured pressure from VMRO for five years, we can deal with the pressure of SDSM. At any cost we will not support any kind of political internal deals which cause damage to journalists and the media. This is the new AJM “, wrote Mr Selmani.
Selmani in an interview today Pres24 says his reaction was an appropriate response to the statements from SDSM that the AJM had damaged the laws.
“But I do not want to do deal with the past anymore because it will not hope anyone. I can responsibly claim that in 2011 when the new leadership was elected at the AJM. at not one point did we allow political parties to influence our attitudes. So that is how it will be in the future”, Mr Selmani said in an interview.
Today Mr Popovski did not want to replicate the Mr Selmani’s writings, he announced that at the press conference he will brief everyone and will express his position on this controversy.
