SKOPJE -- The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, has hailed Macedonia's recently adopted media laws.
Talking to journalists in Skopje on February 12, Mijatovic welcomed Macedonia's attention to the OSCE's recommendations but urged the government to implement the adopted laws to see real results.
Mijatovic said she discussed with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski the issue of defamation.
According to Mijatovic, the fines proposed by the law are too high and would likely affect media pluralism.
Mijatovic, who had been in Macedonia for three days, also met with journalist Tomislav Kezarovski, who was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in jail in October 2013 for revealing a witness's data in a high-profile criminal case and later transferred to house arrest.
Reporters Without Borders ranked Macedonia 123rd among 180 countries on its Press Freedom Index released on February 12.
Talking to journalists in Skopje on February 12, Mijatovic welcomed Macedonia's attention to the OSCE's recommendations but urged the government to implement the adopted laws to see real results.
Mijatovic said she discussed with Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski the issue of defamation.
According to Mijatovic, the fines proposed by the law are too high and would likely affect media pluralism.
Mijatovic, who had been in Macedonia for three days, also met with journalist Tomislav Kezarovski, who was sentenced to 4 1/2 years in jail in October 2013 for revealing a witness's data in a high-profile criminal case and later transferred to house arrest.
Reporters Without Borders ranked Macedonia 123rd among 180 countries on its Press Freedom Index released on February 12.
