EU Condemns Any Form of Attack on Journalists

Ana Pisonero (YouTube screenshot)

Spokesperson for the European Commission Ana Pisonero said in a July 24 comment on attacks against the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK) that the European Union (EU) condemned all types of threats or attacks against journalists.

"It is critical that journalists can do their job without any threats of violence, harassment and intimidation, in order to give people unhindered access to every kind of information," Pisonero said in her comment for the Voice of America.

The EC spokesperson said that the authorities should ensure effective monitoring of all cases of physical and verbal violence against journalists. She added that the EU welcomed the steps that Serbia had taken to protect journalists, including the Working Group for the Protection of Journalists and SOS lines that could be used to report attacks or pressure on journalists.

Pisonero recalled that fighting organized crime was Serbia's priority and a necessary condition for the country to join the EU. "The EU supports Serbia in fighting organized crime and urges it to improve its performance in investigating, prosecuting and reaching final verdicts in the fight against grand corruption and organized crime. It is important to prove that rule of law reforms are effective in practice," the EU spokesperson said.