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SARAJEVO, May 8 (FENA) - Public electronic media should especially adhere to their obligation of impartial and balanced reporting for all parties and candidates, it was pointed out at the opening of the "Responsibility of the Media in Electoral Process" conference, which is held today in Sarajevo, organized by the Federal News Agency (FENA) and the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Head of the OSCE Mission in BiH, Ambassador Brian Aggeler, stated that fair and transparent elections are the cornerstone of a thriving democracy and foster trust, legitimacy, and public confidence in the political system.
It is crucial that the electoral process in BiH upholds the highest standards of transparency and safeguards the fundamental rights of its citizens.
He added that election administration is a complex and sensitive process which requires a high degree of professionalism and integrity from not only the CEC, but also political parties, civil society, the judiciary, law enforcement, and the media.
''The OSCE Mission to BiH calls upon authorities, electoral institutions in BiH, and the media to consider ODIHR’s recommendations in light of further strengthening electoral transparency,'' stated Aggeler.
He said that the participating states, including BiH, have recognized that the fulfilment of OSCE commitments, including election-related ones, is not an internal affair, but should be considered as a matter of international concern.
Ambassador Aggeler reminded that citizens' trust in democratic institutions in some of the Western Balkan countries, including BiH, is arguably at an all-time low. In polling OSCE conducted a few years ago, no electoral institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina was trusted by more than 16 percent of citizens.
He pointed out that this lack of trust in the democratic process should be an alarm for all of us that it is crucial that the authorities take these issues seriously and implement measures that strengthen the integrity of the electoral process and restore citizens' trust.
Aggeler said that the OSCE Mission to BiH reaffirms its commitment to working closely with the authorities, Election Management Bodies, media, civil society organizations, and international partners to support and promote transparent elections in BiH.
General Manager of FENA Elmir Huremović said that recent election cycles around the globe have showcased the double-edged nature of technology. Artificial intelligence was employed to create and disseminate targeted misinformation campaigns, leveraging social media algorithms to influence public opinion on an unprecedented scale.
He stressed that these campaigns, often spreading misleading information, were designed to exploit political divisions, demonstrating how easily technology can be used to subvert the democratic process.
''Faced with such challenges, the role of news agencies becomes ever more critical. As bastions of information, news agencies have the capacity and the duty to act as arbiters of truth in the information ecosystem. Their mission to deliver accurate and unbiased news is vital in countering misinformation and educating the public, thereby safeguarding the democratic process,'' said Huremović.
He said that as the leading news agency recognized worldwide, FENA's commitment to deliver unbiased, accurate and timely news positions us as a strong dam against the flood of disinformation threatening to undermine democratic societies.
''It is crucial that media freedom is not co-opted into a tool of propaganda, particularly one used against political subjects or, more broadly, against the interests of state and its citizents,'' stated Huremović.
He stated that we all should confirm our commitment to the idea that the media space is managed by professionals, not by politicians and large technology companies that have almost taken over the world with the help of their search engines and social networks and platforms.
The goal of today's conference is to point out the dangers that, due to the increasingly massive misuse of new technologies, threaten the media and the democratic environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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