SEEMO je uznemiren odlukom grèkih vlasti da uskrate vize trojici makedonskih novinara i upozorava makednoske politièare na slobodu medija

07.06.2005.

Vienna, 6 June 2005

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent refusal by the Greek authorities to issue visas to three Macedonian (Republic of Macedonia - FYROM) journalists.

According to information before SEEMO, on Monday, 30 May, Goran Momirofski, a journalist for A1 TV station from Skopje, requested a visa for himself and two of his colleagues at the Greek Embassy in Skopje, in order to visit Northern Greece and do a feature. They also stated that they would meet with the President of the Greek Member State Committee of the European Bureau for
Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL) and leading members of the EFA-Rainbow Party.

SEEMO has also been informed that on Thursday, 2 June, Momirofski was told by the Embassy staff that the visa request for all three journalists had been rejected by Athens. There was no official explanation for this decision.

SEEMO calls upon the Greek authorities to treat all journalists equally and to allow them to move freely in order to be able to exercise their profession. SEEMO would also like to remind the Greek authorities that freedom of expression and a safe working environment for journalists are the basic principles of any democratic society.


2. SEEMO PRESS RELEASE: MACEDONIA



Vienna, 6 June 2005

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about a recent attempt by a Macedonian political party to ban Serbian music in Macedonia (Republic of Macedonia - FYROM).

According to information before SEEMO, on Wednesday, 1 June, the leadership of the Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO)/People's Party sent an appeal to all owners of television and radio stations in Macedonia to ban the broadcasting of Serbian music for the next three months. This appeal followed the decision of the Serbian Orthodox Church not to recognise the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

SEEMO strongly condemns this call by the VMRO/People's Party, because no party has the right to influence the editorial policy of any media house.
All politicians must recongnise the basic principles of freedom of
expression and press freedom.

For any further information or to remove your e-mail address please contact:

SEEMO - IPI, Spiegelgasse 2/29, 1010 Vienna, Austria, Tel (SEEMO+HELP LINE):
+43 1 513 39 40, Tel (SEEMO): +43 1 512 90 11 11, Fax: +43 1 512 90 15,
E-mail: info@seemo.org, Web: http://www.seemo.org

Povratak