Centre for Civic Education (CCE), ahead of World Press Freedom Day, notes that Montenegro once again observes this date in an environment of formal guarantees and substantive limitations. Behind the declarative commitment to European values, the media space remains burdened by pressure, insecurity, and selective institutional action.
The number of attacks on journalists continues to raise concern, but even more troubling is the lack of effective responses from the competent authorities. At the same time, violence, threats, and discrediting campaigns have become part of everyday reality, and are further legitimised by the conduct of those in power, who in democratic societies must serve as guarantors of media freedom and a safeguard against its erosion. During the past year, a record 33 attacks on journalists were recorded, while nine such cases have already been registered since the beginning of 2026.
CCE particularly highlights the practice of initiating investigations based on weak and insufficiently substantiated grounds, yet producing serious consequences for media outlets and their editors. Examples from the previous period demonstrate how insufficiently substantiated investigation orders create space for summoning editors for questioning and exerting indirect pressure on editorial policies. Even when formally within the bounds of the law, such actions have a clear intimidating and controlling effect on the media community. In these situations, the line between legitimate public interest and selective institutional conduct is blurred, creating an environment in which journalists do not operate under the protection of the system, but rather under its scrutiny and pressure.
CCE emphasises that, in the context of European integration, this situation carries additional weight. Media freedom is one of the key indicators of progress within the European Union accession process, particularly in chapters related to the rule of law, and current practice points to stagnation, and even regression, in this area. Continuous pressure on the media, the lack of effective investigations into attacks on journalists, and problematic institutional approaches directly affect the assessment of Montenegro’s readiness for further steps in the negotiation process.
At the same time, the media landscape is burdened by internal conflicts, a decline in professional standards, and an increasingly pronounced instrumentalisation of information. In such an environment, the public interest is often sidelined in favour of political and economic confrontations, while citizens are left without reliable information.
The economic dimension must not be overlooked. Financial instability and dependence on centres of power further weaken the independence of newsrooms and make them vulnerable to external influences.
World Press Freedom Day should not serve merely as a reminder of systemic problems in this field in Montenegro, but also as an opportunity to call for ensuring that all investigations concerning or involving the media are based on solid and transparent grounds, while preventing the intimidation of journalists and editors. It is equally necessary to ensure effective investigations into attacks on journalists and to insist on professional standards that are the foundation of public trust.
Free media are not a privilege, but a cornerstone of a democratic order, and in Montenegro, that foundation remains significantly eroded.
Željka Zvicer, Programme Associate