English
Media associations, the AVMU media regulator and the VMRO-DPMNE political party joined in calls of condemnation after journalist Aleksandar Vidinovski faced an apparently organized chorus of insults and attacks from commentators from Bulgaria.
Vidinovski, who hosts a political show on the Kanal 5 TV, which has featued Bulgarian commentators, also often covers local interest stories that affect the capital Skopje.
In a recent bit, he filmed cars of diplomats parked illegally in front of the Bulgarian Embassy in Skopje, and this is what provoked the very rude messages he has been getting for days. Many of the messages are actually death threats and many more veer into the political, national and historic disputes between Macedonia and Bulgaria.
These acts are a direct assault on the safety of journalists and are a serious hazard for the freedom of expression and the right of the public to be informed. Journalists have the right to report on issues of public interest without being exposed to pressure, threats and violence, said the AVMU media regulator.
The Macedonian Association of Journalists joined in the reaction, and called on state prosecutors to investigate the threats. “According to our Criminal Code, these messages constitute threats toward a person with official competences. They endanger the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of speech, of reporting on violations of the Macedonian laws, even when carried out by representatives of the diplomatic missions”, said MAN.