Zagreb - Parliament Speaker Željko Reiner on Tuesday sent a message to media workers and journalists' associations on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, observed on May 3, expressing strong support to freedom and independence of the media, which, he said, has a big impact on society, from which great responsibility for every word expressed or written also stems.
"I wish to support World Press Freedom Day that was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 3 May 1993. The objective of marking media freedom is to promote the freedom of expression and to raise awareness of the importance of media freedom and its fundamental principles. Observing this day, I wish to strongly support freedom of the media and its independence and stress its big impact on the people which also comprehends a big responsibility for every said or written word," Reiner says in his message.
He believes that it is necessary to develop awareness of the importance of the media because media freedom in the world, he noted, according to a Freedom House report, has fallen to its lowest level in the past ten years.
Reiner underscored it was the responsibility of all of society to advocate freedom of expression "however, a freedom that needs to be expressed in a fair manner with regard to whoever or whatever is being reported about."
"Balance is the key word and solution when we aim for media freedom, security and fairness, particularly in this digital age.," Reiner said. (Hina)