Centre for Civic Education (CCE), on the occasion of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, points out that Montenegro still fails to provide an adequate institutional response to attacks, threats, and pressures faced by journalists. Despite years of warnings and obligations arising from the EU accession process, cases of violence against media representatives continue to be handled slowly and ineffectively, while impunity remains a reminder of the lack of accountability and political will.
This year has also brought new examples of brutal treatment of media professionals. The most recent incident occurred on 8 August 2025, during an illegal neo-Chetnik gathering in Berane, when photojournalists from Vijestiand Pobjeda, Boris Pejović and Stevo Vasiljević, were physically assaulted. Such incidents confirm growing intolerance and create an environment in which violence becomes an acceptable reaction to public expression. Delayed and inadequate institutional responses further deepen journalists’ sense of insecurity and send a message of impunity to perpetrators, and every act of impunity represents a defeat of justice and an encouragement for further attacks.
The CCE reminds that proceedings in the most serious cases of attacks on journalists remain protracted. The case concerning the wounding of Olivera Lakić has stagnated for years, with frequent postponements of hearings and no visible progress, while the case of the attack on Pobjeda journalist Ana Raičković is still awaiting judicial outcome. Such practices undermine public trust in institutions that should serve as guarantors of justice and security.
Montenegro must demonstrate consistent political and institutional will to end the practice of selective justice and ensure that every attack on journalists is prosecuted without exception or delay. This must be reflected through the coordinated efforts of the prosecution, judiciary, and police, as well as through the accountability of political actors to create an environment in which freedom of expression is respected as a cornerstone of democracy. Protecting journalists is not a privilege, but a fundamental prerequisite for a society based on truth and freedom.
Addressing cases of violence against journalists is also a state obligation under negotiation chapters 23 and 24, which assess progress in the rule of law and protection of human rights. As long as attacks on journalists are treated with indifference and unprofessionalism, Montenegro will not be able to close these chapters nor demonstrate genuine commitment to European values. Therefore, it is essential for every institution to assume its share of responsibility from effective investigations and timely prosecutions to transparent reporting on outcomes because journalists have the right to safety, and the public has the right to truth.
Nikola Obradović, Programme Associate