Harlem Désir, the OSCE representative for media freedom and the head of the organisation's Mission in Serbia Andrea Orizio, said on Wednesday they were worried about Serbia's Government decision on information during the state of emergency declared over the coronavirus pandemic and the impact it could have to the free access to information, the Beta news agency reported.
An OSCE statement says that “the decision seems to deprive the journalists and media of receiving information about the pandemic from anyone else but those mentioned in the decision.”
Désir said that “the access to information is crucial for media,” which during the health crisis “have an important role in passing to the public accurate news and in fighting against fake news about the pandemic.”
With Head of @OSCE_Serbia Andrea Orizio, I stressed importance of #AccessToInformation, following #Serbia government decision on public information & #COVID19. Essential to preserve free flow of information on the pandemic, including for local media. See: https://t.co/LsrOkgTWC7
— OSCE media freedom (@OSCE_RFoM) April 1, 2020
“Although I perfectly understand the need to fight against fake news during the health crisis, I’m worried about the impact this decision can have on media and journalists’ work and their ability to report on the pandemic and publish information from different sources,” Désir said.
He added that the decision could most seriously affect local media, “including their capacity to report on local topics linked to the pandemic.”
Orizio said that the OSCE Mission in Serbia fully supported all efforts by Serbia’s Government in the fight against coronavirus, “including the presentation of reliable information to the people during the pandemic.”
But, he added “the free flow of information should be protected by all levels of power to preserve the pluralism of sources and full transparency during the state of emergency and to protect the trust, prevent anxiety or panic and secure population’s cooperation,” Orizio added.
