Podgorica, (MINA) – The Media Trade Union of Montenegro (SMCG) recorded 28 attacks on media workers in 2025 in the SafeJournalists database, this association stated.
According to the press release, this is not the final number, as it reflects only cases reported to the Union by media workers, and those they learned from the media.
“We know from experience that there is always a number of attacks that go unreported or do not reach us, therefore the final data will be known after official information from the police is obtained”, the SMCG stated.
They told the MINA News Agency that this number is concerning when viewed in a broader context.
“Since we began systematically monitoring attacks on journalists, the worst years were 2021 and 2022, when we also recorded 28 cases each. So, last year has already been one of the worst, and there is a real danger that it will become the worst in terms of the number of reported attacks”, said SMCG.
According to the Union, the gender aspect of the data is particularly alarming.
“Out of the 28 attacks we have recorded in last year, as many as 16 were aimed at female journalists, five at their male colleagues, while in the remaining cases the victims were media outlets”, said SMCG.
Speaking about the position of journalists, the SMCG stated that certain improvements have been seen in the last few years when it comes to the protection by judicial authorities, including the introduction of aggravated forms of several criminal offenses in the Criminal Code, and mandatory instructions to prosecutors issued by Supreme State Prosecutor Milorad Markovic in cases of attacks on journalists.
When asked about the signing of the Branch Collective Agreement in light of the announced closure of all chapters in Montenegro’s EU negotiations by the end of the year, SMCG recalled that this is an important obligation within the accession negotiations.
“At the same time, the situation with the General Collective Agreement, which was not adopted but only extended until March 31, indicates the urgent need to adopt the Branch Collective Agreement in the media, so that employees are protected in the long term and do not depend on other documents, which require a broader agreement among social partners”, said the SMCG.
