The Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) has condemned the incident in which an employee of the National Service for Protection (NSP) knocked journalist Sonya Koltuklieva to the ground. The union has renewed its call for legislative changes to protect journalists' rights, their work and freedom of speech. This is stated in a position published on the union's website by Snezhana Todorova, Chair of the UBJ's Management Board.
The union described what happened as outrageous and noted that no one in the motorcade had helped the injured journalist. According to the statement, journalists' rights and safety, as well as their professional work, should always be respected and protected, including through legislative measures.
At the same time, the UBJ stressed that journalists also have a duty to obey the law and adhere to professional and ethical standards.
Ten years ago, the union submitted proposals for legislative changes to the National Assembly aimed at protecting journalists' rights and freedom of speech. According to the UBJ, none of the parliamentary terms since then has considered the proposals. The organisation is currently preparing an updated version of the initiatives with the help of a legal team, which will be submitted again.
The statement recalls that over the years the UBJ has expressed support for journalists who have been dismissed, threatened or prevented from practising their profession. The union states that any infringement of a journalist's freedom of expression and professional activity affects everyone's freedom, regardless of their differences.
The UBJ notes that the incident involving Sonya Koltuklieva, who was working as a reporter for the PIK news agency, occurred after she opened the door of the car carrying National Assembly Speaker Mihaela Dotsova in an attempt to interview her. According to the statement, this breached security rules, but the security officer's response was disproportionate. The union also considers it unacceptable that the vehicles in the motorcade drove away without anyone helping the woman who had fallen and later sought medical assistance.
Speaker of Parliament Mihaela Dotsova: I Express My Deepest Regret for What Happened
The UBJ notes that the incident has prompted strong political reactions and comments on social media, amplified by the election campaign. According to the organisation, however, public reactions are shifting the focus away from protecting the journalist and towards political objectives.
The statement recalls that the NSP announced an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident and said it was prepared to take the strictest measures if violations were established. The union also cites President Iliana Iotova's position, in which she described the officer's response as unacceptable and excessive and called for the circumstances to be clarified and for those responsible to be held accountable if violations were confirmed.
"Undoubtedly, compliance with the law is an unconditional obligation for journalists too, who are also expected to practise their profession responsibly and ethically," the UBJ states. According to the organisation, the protection of journalists' rights must go hand in hand with strict compliance with legal requirements, including security rules for people holding senior public office.
National Service for Protection Investigates Officers’ Actions Following Incident Involving Journalist Sonya Koltuklieva
The union wishes Sonya Koltuklieva a speedy recovery and says it awaits the results of the NSP investigation. The organisation has once again called for a public and media environment free from attacks on journalists, in which all parties respect the law.
Source: BTA
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