Journalists' associations have rejected Prime Minister Zoran Zaev's proposal to open a debate on the return of government money to the media. The Association of Journalists clarifies that they do not want to experiment with solutions that will create a lasting clientelistic relationship between the Government and the media. According to AJM, there is room for establishing a Fund for Free Media and Journalists, which would support journalistic products.

The President of the Union of Journalists (SSNM) Pavle Belovski for "Sloboden Pecat" says that they are against getting involved in the process of opening a debate on amendments to the Law on Audiovisual Services.

- SSNM will not be involved in the process of returning Article 102 which was withdrawn from 2018 by the Law on Audiovisual Services, which provided for government money in the media. For years, the position of SSNM on this issue has not changed and he is against budget money from the Government in the media. Given that the Government is the proposer of legal solutions, and the Assembly has the final decision, it is obliged to take into account the views of journalists' associations, and not by opening a debate process to involve them to reach some agreement on these changes. We remain vigilant on this issue, without engaging in creating any new solutions - says Belovski.

He appeals to the Government not to hide behind the credibility of the trade unions, because if it is determined to lease space with the broadcasters, it can do so without the consent of the journalists' associations, through the legislature. Belovski believes that by involving journalists in the process, he puts them in the middle, between the bosses of the media and the state money that the Government will spend on advertising campaigns of public interest.

И the President of AJM Mladen Chadikovski says the view of the possibility of government money in campaigns is well known.

- We had such an experience and we would not like it to be repeated, neither now nor in the future. Regarding the debate on the Fund for Free Media and Journalists, which would support journalistic products, there is room for discussion, but it is completely different from paid campaigns. - says Chadikovski for "Free Press".

The Prime Minister Zoran Zaev announced that the Government would conduct public interest campaigns, such as vaccination. He said that the state does not want to make government campaigns in the media with the money of the citizens, but to strengthen the media workers in terms of their functioning and independence. Zaev also announced the establishment of a Production Fund, for contents that exist in the world, but we do not have them.