SEEMO Alarmed by the Refusal of Greek Officials
to Issue Visas to Macedonian Journalists

Vienna, June 6, 2005

Source: South East Europe Media Organisation
URL: http://www.seemo.org

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The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent refusal by the Greek authorities to issue visas to three Macedonian (Republic of Macedonia - FYROM) journalists.

According to information before SEEMO, on Monday, 30 May, Goran Momirofski, a journalist for A1 TV station from Skopje, requested a visa for himself and two of his colleagues at the Greek Embassy in Skopje, in order to visit Northern Greece and do a feature. They also stated that they would meet with the President of the Greek Member State Committee of the European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL) and leading members of the EFA-Rainbow Party.

SEEMO has also been informed that on Thursday, 2 June, Momirofski was told by the Embassy staff that the visa request for all three journalists had been rejected by Athens. There was no official explanation for this decision.

SEEMO calls upon the Greek authorities to treat all journalists equally and to allow them to move freely in order to be able to exercise their profession. SEEMO would also like to remind the Greek authorities that freedom of expression and a safe working environment for journalists are the basic principles of any democratic society.