OSCE condemns attack on vehicle belonging to independent newspaper in Montenegro

PODGORICA, 24 July 2011 – The Acting Head  of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro Waldemar Figaj today condemned the attack on a delivery vehicle belonging to the independent newspaper “Vijesti”, early on Saturday morning, 23 July. The vehicle was set on fire while parked in the settlement of Masline in Podgorica.

“ I am concerned as this is the second arson attack on a vehicle belonging to “Vijesti” in the last ten days”, said Figaj. “Attacks on journalists and property of the press should be regarded as attacks on the freedom of media and cannot be tolerated in any democratic society,”

He called upon the authorities to fully investigate the incident, as well as the previous arson attack against two other “Vijesti” vehicles outside the newspaper’s offices on the night of 13 to 14 July, and to bring the perpetrators to justice.