On the occasion of 3 May – World Press Freedom Day – the Centre for Civic Education (CCE) extends congratulations to all media outlets and media professionals. Unfortunately, once again this year, this year again offers little reason for optimism regarding the state of media freedom and the overall professional, particularly economic, environment in which journalists in Montenegro operate.
The CCE assesses that the media landscape in Montenegro remains deeply polarized and politically instrumentalized, mirroring wider socio-political divisions. This hinders the flow of credible information, erodes public trust, and undermines the development of professional journalism grounded in ethics, responsibility, and the public interest. In this context, we highlight as a notably and commendable positive the action of journalist and editor Nemanja Živaljević, who resigned from his media outlet in protest against censorship and protecting his integrity.
Particularly concerning is the fact that the attitude of decision-makers toward the media does not change even after political shifts. Instead of equal treatment, selective approaches continue – some media outlets are granted privilegedaccess to information, interviewees, and public funds, while others are denied. This directly undermines democratic standards and hampers the work of media that strive to report professionally and impartially.
In addition to political pressures, journalists in Montenegro continue to face physical threats, with many serious past cases remaining unresolved. The lack of consistent institutional responses fosters a climate of impunity and insecurity. Nonetheless, there have been some positive developments – such as recent court rulings in the case of the attack on journalist Ana Raičković and the lawsuit filed by Dragana Šćepanović against the Aktuelno portal.
A particularly striking example of institutional degradation of public interest is the situation at the Public Broadcaster RTCG. Instead of being a pillar of independent and professional journalism, RTCG is increasingly perceived as a symbol of political influence, opaque management, and manipulative reporting. Numerous controversies surround it, with the most recent involving the allocation of housing units to employees, which further underscores the urgent need for fundamental reform and leadership accountability at RTCG. The Reporters Without Borders report published yesterday, in which Montenegro formally advanced by three positions, upon closer reading, highlights serious issues in the media sector – particularly calling out RTCG.
According to data from MNE Pulse, a survey conducted by the CCE in cooperation with the DAMAR Institute in March 2025, the media received an average rating of 2.30 (on a scale of 1 to 5), placing them among the least trusted institutions in the country. This points to a crisis of credibility in the media sector and the need for professional and regulatory improvements.
Through its programmae activities, the CCE remains committed to creating a higher-quality media environment, strengthening professional standards, and safeguarding media freedom. Without free and sustainable media, without the physical and economic security of journalists, and without a responsible approach by those in power, there can be no objective reporting—and no truly democratic society to which we aspire.
Nikola Obradović, Programme Associate