Skopje, 28 May 2021 – Referring to the statements by Prime Minister Zoran Zaev in an interview for the “Fokus” weekly, regarding episode 1, titled “Conspiracy Against the Air,” of the documentary series titled “Editorial Office”, made by the Investigative Reporting Laboratory (IRL), the Agency wishes to underline that the holders of public office should refrain from publicly conveying standpoints that express suspicion in the credibility of investigative journalistic stories.
Investigative journalism is key to fulfilling the role of the media in uncovering and analyzing the issues of public interest and in serving as the critic of the authorities. In this context, journalists should not be discouraged; on the contrary, they should be encouraged to investigate various topics related to possible corruption or abuse on the part of the institutions or individuals. If a party concerned considers that the standards and principles of conduct set out in the journalistic codes have not been observed, it may use the existing mechanisms and address the matter to the self-regulatory bodies.