Second webinar focusing on the new local and regional developments in the defamation and insult legislation took place today in Skopje, North Macedonia with professional journalists, representatives of the judiciary and lawyers, representatives of media organisations having experience and dealing with cases related to defamation and insult.  This webinar was follow-up to the first webinar held in April, 2020 and it was an opportunity to discuss best knowledge and practice for the application of the Law on Civil Liability of Defamation and Insult and contribute to the upcoming process of joint consultations with the Ministry of Justice.

The Minister of Justice, Ms. Renata Deskoska, addressed the participants in the webinar expressing her satisfaction to be part of this significant event that will for sure increase the knowledge for the upcoming consultation process with the Ministry of Justice, that due to the COVID-19 pandemic is postponed for September, 2020.

Another added value to this follow-up webinar is the engagement of international expert who presented the relevant Council of Europe standards and practice in the context of defamation and insult. This contribution enriched the overall joint discussion, after which our partner AJM will publish on its website a bi-lingual journalist article addressing the main points of the event.

This thematic webinar was organised under the EU & CoE joint Action “Freedom of Expression and Freedom of the Media in North Macedonia (JUFREX)” in cooperation with the partner organisation Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM).

JUFREX Action is part of the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey II”, a joint EU/CoE programme implemented by the Council of Europe, which aims at assisting Beneficiaries in the Western Balkans region and Turkey to comply with the Council of Europe standards and European Union acquis in the framework of the enlargement process, where relevant.