OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media meets with Ambassador of Slovenia
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On 22 February 2021, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Teresa Ribeiro, met with Ambassador Barbara Žvokelj to discuss the current state of media freedom in Slovenia and possible areas of future co-operation with the Slovenian authorities.
Ribeiro and Žvokelj discussed issues such as the safety of journalists, particularly the growing verbal and legal harassment of critical and independent media and journalists in Slovenia. Ambassador Žvokelj offered the reassurances of the Slovenian government that it remains committed to respecting and promoting norms and standards regarding media freedom, and noted the enhanced efforts of law enforcement authorities in investigating all instances of attacks on journalists.
Ribeiro recalled that Slovenia, along with other OSCE participating States, recognized the importance of securing an enabling environment for the media in the landmark 2018 OSCE Ministerial Council Decision on the Safety of Journalists. In this light, Ribeiro highlighted that safety of journalists will be a top priority of her Office, and expressed her commitment to assisting the Slovenian government in implementing the existing OSCE commitments in the area of media freedom.
They also discussed the issue of funding for the Slovenian Press Agency’s (STA) public services, for which financing had been suspended. In this regard, Ambassador Žvokelj affirmed that all overdue payments have been disbursed to the STA and that a new contract between the Government Communication Office and the STA is pending finalization. Ribeiro welcomed this positive outcome, and noted that her Office will continue to closely monitor media developments in the country.