UNS: Kosovo Assembly should ensure unhindered access for all Serbian-language media

The Journalists' Association of Serbia (UNS), together with its branch in Kosovo, has protested after the Assembly of Kosovo denied access to the constitutive parliamentary session to several media outlets reporting in the Serbian language, despite the fact that they had submitted all required accreditation documents on time.

Upon arriving at the Assembly building, journalists from Kosovo Online and RTS were denied entry.

Kosovo Online journalist Milena Maksimovic told UNS that this was not the first time Kosovo institutions had ignored the portal's accreditation request.

"Over the past few days, we repeatedly checked the status of our application. We requested a written response, clarification, and confirmation that we would be allowed to attend today's constitutive session. We were referred from one official to another, from the secretary's office to the media service, and then back again. For several weeks we have been receiving the same answer—that the procedure is almost complete and that only one signature is missing," Maksimovic explained.

She noted that the accreditation request had been submitted back in January, in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the Assembly.

"Last year we were treated in a similar manner regarding permits to film in certain other Kosovo institutions. Our portal was also among the media outlets denied accreditation to cover the elections in Kosovo in October last year," Maksimovic recalled.

She said she could not say with certainty that Kosovo Online was being subjected to special treatment, but added that she saw no reason to dismiss that possibility.

"We complied with every step of the procedure, yet we still have not been granted permission to report," Maksimovic concluded.

UNS stressed that preventing or restricting journalists from carrying out their work constitutes a violation of the right to information, which is guaranteed by both local legislation and international conventions.

The Association also recalled that this is not the first time Kosovo institutions and officials have discriminated against media outlets reporting in the Serbian language and called for an end to such practices.

Kosovo Deputy Ombudsperson Srdjan Sentic, commenting on the denial of accreditation to Kosovo Online, stated that the competent authorities should ensure that accreditation procedures are based on clear, objective, and non-discriminatory criteria.

Journalist and writer Zivojin Rakocevic pointed out that journalists in Kosovo face not only major cases of discrimination but also numerous administrative obstacles and procedures that make their work almost impossible.