The European Union expressed concern about the mutual bans on the entry of journalists between Serbia and Montenegro, stressing that the measures that restrict the work of the media are not in line with the values ​​expected of candidate countries for EU membership.

In a statement to Radio Free Europe, the European Commission said that countries in the enlargement process must act in accordance with fundamental European values, including respect for democratic principles, fundamental rights, freedom of expression and freedom of the media.

"Progress on the path towards the EU requires a clear commitment to these values. Therefore, measures that could restrict the work of journalists are a cause for concern. Enlargement partners are expected to ensure that journalists can exercise their profession freely, without unjustified and unfounded restrictions," a European Commission spokesperson told Radio Free Europe.

He added that European institutions are aware of reports of mutual bans on the entry of journalists between Serbia and Montenegro and that they will continue to closely monitor the development of the situation.

Brussels' reaction comes after, in recent weeks, several journalists from Montenegro were banned from entering Serbia.

The bans followed Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's announcement of reciprocal measures after authorities in Podgorica barred entry to the editor-in-chief of the Serbian tabloid Informer, Dragan Vučević.

Referring to information from security services, Vučić said that Vučević had been banned from entering Montenegro and described Podgorica's decision as a "big mistake."

On July 23, the director of Radio-Television Podgorica, Vladimir Otašević, was denied entry into Serbia at the border crossing between the two countries.

In early July, Vijesti Television journalist Petar Komnenic was denied entry to Serbia, and a few days later, the executive director of BIRN (Balkan Investigative Reporting Network) in Montenegro, Vuk Marash, was also denied entry.

At the end of May, the Agency for Electronic Media of Montenegro decided to ban the broadcast and rebroadcast of the Serbian television program Informer on the territory of Montenegro for six months.

The decision was justified by the allegations that the content of this medium insulted the dignity of the Montenegrin people, denied the Montenegrin national identity, incited hate speech and discrimination, and violated the dignity of the citizens and institutions of Montenegro.

Earlier, several international organizations for the protection of media freedom condemned the ban on the entry of Montenegrin journalists into Serbia.

The European Federation of Journalists assessed that such measures pose a risk to investigative journalism, while the organizations Reporters Without Borders and the International Press Institute called on the Serbian authorities to repeal these bans.

European institutions also see this issue in the regional context.

Brussels recalls that good neighborly relations and regional cooperation remain important elements of the European Union's enlargement process.

"Therefore, we encourage both Serbia and Montenegro to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions and, instead, to engage constructively in resolving the outstanding issues," the European Commission spokesperson said. /REL/