We are publishing the reaction of Public Policy Institute regarding the article that has been published on our Internet page.
In the letter signed by Selena Tasić, Program manager, reads:
We want to protest vehemently against the “reporting” of RFE correspondence in Montenegro regarding regional NGO Public Policy Institute.
Program content that was published in program and is available on RFE website is:
1. Biased and one-sided;
2. Contrary to the Codex of Montenegrin Journalists, especially Article 3 (The facts are sacrosanct for journalist, and his/hers obligation to put them into correct context and prevent their misuse, whether it is a text, image or audio record. Rumors and assumptions must be clearly indicated as such. It is an obligation to clearly separate news and the comment) and Article 11 (Journalist mustn’t accept privileges of any kind that could impair or raise doubts about his/hers autonomy and impartiality, as well as publishers’s and redaction’s liberty of decision making);
3.Runs contrary to the Mission Statement RFE/RL, especially Article 1 (RFE/RL provides objective news, analysis, and discussion of domestic and regional issues crucial to successful democratic and free-market transformations) Article 2 (RFE/RL strengthens civil societies by projecting democratic values) and Article 4 (RFE/RL provides a model for local media, assists in training to enhance media professionalism and independence, and develops partnerships with local media outlets)
RFE journalist made following mistakes in his report:
1. He didn’t hear the other side, especially the one that is the main subject of the content. Program content is composed from statements of three persons, while no one represents the other side.
2. He failed to take into account the relevant fact that Public Policy Institute’s founder Vladimir Popović has won a lawsuit against Vanja Ćalović on the subject that is the content of the report. Proof: Verdict P3569/14 that is currently in the High Court in Podgorica in order to decide on appeals.
3. He failed to distance himself from the statement of one subject, which is journalist’s duty, and especially RFE journalist’s. He has served as subject’s microphone instead.
4. He expressed a falsehood with the first sentence of programe content, which states “Region’s civil sector has jointly asked the European Commission (EC) to withdraw the decision on the allocation of money to the organization headed by Vladimir Beba Popović …”. It is not the whole “civil sector”, but only a smaller part of it. The same falsehood is repeated in the first sentence of the fourth paragraph “Civil sector claims that…”. Again, it is not about the whole “civil sector”, but only about its smaller part.
5. He failed to point out Public Policy Institute’s reaction to unprofessional program content, and which existed in media before RFE has published this news.
Bearing in mind the level of RFE’s professionalism, it is questionable how it was possible to publish the news without citing a single relevant source from Montenegro (for example, comment by Ministry of culture which is a contact center for this EU program), without contacting organization which is the main subject of the media content and asking its statement, without insisting on explanation regarding the alleged violation of human rights, and in the end convey three identical opinions of personally and professionally connected individuals, who share the same interests.
