Speech by the Head of EU Delegation and EU Special Representative in BiH, Ambassador Luigi Soreca at the “Critical Voices Under Pressure” Conference
Good morning and welcome to the 4th event of the Critical Voices Under Pressure.
I would like to thank you for joining us today to reaffirm once again all together once principle which is the safety of journalists.
Freedom of expression and the press are cornerstones of any democratic society. Therefore, strengthening fundamental freedoms is a core objective of the EU path and the EU’s engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in particular the key priority No. 12.
We will continue to defend and promote our fundamental values. The EU stands strongly for the right of journalists to freely investigate issues of public interest and keep holding those in power accountable.
Soon, on 3 May, it will be World Press Freedom Day. It serves as a reminder to us all that without journalists who work without fear or pressure, there can be no genuine public debate or transparent governance.
Unfortunately, we are seeing worrying trends globally, unfortunately including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where pressure on journalists is increasing, and the space for free and independent action is shrinking.
Threats and intimidation of journalists and media workers are just unacceptable. And when such incidents occur, they must be met with a clear and swift response from institutions.
In this regard, the establishment of contact points in prosecutors' offices and police is a positive step forward in Bosnia and Herzegovina in an otherwise challenging environment overall.
I hear you well that we need to make sure that these contact points are even more effective and we will pass this message to the authorities.
These contact points however represent a significant step towards a most systemic solution to ensure efficient monitoring and processing of attacks on journalists, as well as better cooperation between all competent institutions. I am pleased that representatives of these institutions are with us today and thank you for being here. These activities, as you know, are the result of joint work together with the OSCE, and of course, with domestic partners.
Another important topic, particularly ahead of this year’s General Elections in BiH is media integrity, which remains essential for ensuring a fair, informed, and transparent electoral process. We will discuss this today.
Disinformation, false political narratives and organised online disinformation campaigns pose a serious challenge to democratic processes. Hate speech, non-transparent ownership and weak regulatory oversight further complicate the situation.
During my mandate, now it is 19 months, I have spoken to many journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, here and the rest of the country Many have expressed to me concerns about their safety and freedom to work. This must not become the norm, of course, and we have to work all together to improve the situation.
We remain committed, I remain committed, my Office remains committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina on its European path. Progress requires real improvements in the area of media freedom. Critical voices must be heard and must be protected.
The European Union will continue to insist on institutional protection for journalists, swift prosecution of attacks and strengthening of the legislative framework.
We also continue to support media sector. We have several financial assistances. You know that there is an ongoing Call where EUR 600,000 is allocated explicitly for activities aimed at straightening media freedom and independence through legal and institutional reforms aligned with EU standards, and protecting journalists via rapid response and legal aid mechanisms.
I also want here to mention the Reform Agenda, which is very high in the media these days. The Reform Agenda also comes with the substantial EU funding, which is allocated to what we call the fundamentals, including democratic institutions, rule of law, fundamental rights.
And in the Reform Agenda over EUR 47 million is allocated to issues that directly affect journalists, including decriminalising defamation, strengthening freedom of expression, effective follow up by police and judiciary cases of threats and violence against journalists and media workers. The implementation of the Reform Agenda is essential for a country but is important also for the media sector.
So, let me conclude by just wishing a great discussion today, to continue working together to ensure media and journalists are protected, empowered, and are able to contribute freely to society.
Thank you.