Today, several journalists and editors of Montenegrin media urged the Ministry of Defence to delete provisions from the proposed amendments to the Law on Classified Information, which provide for unconstitutional hiding of information of public importance.
The amendments proposed by the Ministry of Defence allow all state bodies to declare the information secret if their disclosure would influence the “performing of activities of a state body “.
This broad definition of what can be declared secret opens space to law abuses, which so far has been immanent to state institutions when it is necessary to conceal information from the public about possible violations of law or corruption.
We believe that the proposed amendments to the Law on Classified Information are, among other things, an attack on investigative journalism in Montenegro, since they aim to additionally limit already closed sources of information within state institutions.
We remind the Ministry of Defence and the Government of Montenegro that the Constitution of Montenegro guarantees the right to access information to all citizens and that it can be restricted only if it is in the interest of protection of life; public health; morality and privacy; carrying of criminal proceedings; security and defence of Montenegro; foreign, monetary and economic policy.
Previous experience in access to information held by Montenegrin state authorities shows that the existing Law on Classified Information was widely abused when key information was hidden from the public, while trying to justify all this by referring to the above mentioned reasons.
Such practice is not in line with good international practice, and it is in total contradiction with the European Commission’s recommendations that relate to the overall transparency of the Government’s work and free access to information in general.
The adoption of the Law on Classified Information in this form would be a step backward in the results achieved so far regarding the reform of free access to information, but unfortunately, it would also be a proof that the Government persistently derogates the laws that it had previously developed in cooperation with the international community.
Therefore, we urge the Ministry to respect the Constitution and laws of this country, as well as international conventions, and delete provisions from the proposed amendments to the Law on Classified Information that limit the right to access information, as well as the work of non-governmental organizations and journalists.
Journalists:
1. Tanja Ašanin, TV Vijesti
2. Nikola Marković, DAN
3. Srdan Kosović, ID Vijesti
4. Mila Radulović, DPNCG
5. Marko Vešović, DAN
6. Marijana Bojanić, TV Vijesti
7. Milka Tadić Mijović, CIN CG
8. Damira Kalač, ID Vijesti
9. Vladimir Otašević, DAN
10. Tina Popović, ID Vijesti
11. Draško Milačić, DAN
12. Ana Topalović, DAN
13. Milica Krgović, DAN
14. Siniša Luković, ID Vijesti
15. Svetlana Đokić, TV Vijesti
16. Mirko Bošković, RTCG
17. Mikan Milošević, ID Vijesti
18. Zoran Radulović, Monitor
19. Milena Perović Korać, Monitor
20. Danilo Ajković, FOS Media
21. Danijela Lasica, TV Vijesti
22. Mihailo Jovović, ID Vijesti
23. Vuk Lajović, ID Vijesti
24. Marija Mirjačić, ID Vijesti
25. Ljubica Milićević, TV Vijesti
26. Duško Vuković, media expert
27. Petar Komnenić, TV Vijesti
28. Jelena Jovanović, ID Vijesti
29. Milan Sekulović, DAN
30. Goran Kapor, ID Vijesti
31. Tijana Pravilović, TV Vijesti
