Balkan media unites in condemning Paris attacks

Balkan media unites in condemning Paris attacks

Regional media unites, calling the recent terrorism in Paris an attack on freedom of expression.

Journalists in the region united to condemn the recent terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo. [AFP]

A new sense of solidarity among the media in the Balkan region has emerged after the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Journalists and media associations from Southeast Europe held rallies and protests in support of the French satirical magazine's staff, which was attacked by Islamist militants on January 7th.

Editors and journalists said the unification of journalists is necessary in order to defend the profession.

"Unfortunately, it took something like this to happen to unite journalists. In Bosnia and Herzegovina [BiH], there is a lot of pressure on journalists, and therefore censorship and self-censorship are present. But attacks like the one on Charlie Hebdo are not permitted. It is normal that all journalists, regardless of where they come from and what religion or nation they are, condemn this act of terrorism," Gordana Milinkovic, chief editor of Banja Luka's Independent newspaper, told SETimes.

Solidarity in condemning the terrorist attacks was not limited to the media.

Political and religious leaders from Tirana to Zagreb joined other dignitaries from across the world at the march in Paris on January 11th to condemn terrorism.

"The crime in Paris and the spread of hatred against Muslims must not paralyse us. We have to stay together in order to overcome evil, hatred, darkness on both sides. I call on Muslims to join this effort in the fight for freedom and dignity of each of Europe's people," Husein Kavazovic, chief of the Islamic...