Skopje, 20 March 2025 (MIA) - We would like to express our firm and unequivocal condemnation of the irresponsible and unethical conduct by certain foreign media who despite continued appeals for ethical journalism, crossed all lines of humaneness and dignity today in reporting about the funeral from Kochani, the Government said in a statement Thursday.

“At a time when integrity, accuracy and responsibility should be the basis for reporting, we are witnessing a failure to respect these principles. The sensationalism and pursuit of photographs and headlines that disturb, attract attention and take precedence over the truth, degrade the very essence of journalism. Not only is this unacceptable, but it is also deeply harmful for the entire public, and most importantly, for the individuals and families affected by this enormous tragedy. Using this moment of grief and sadness for spectacle is to be condemned,” the Government said.

The Government urged all media to stick to the highest standards of professional reporting and to respect the personal pain and dignity of the families.

“The right to information should never come at the cost of basic human dignity. We will continue to expect responsible reporting that serves the public interest. The Government remains committed to transparency and press freedom, but we won’t remain silent about unethical practices that violate the principles of honesty and respect. We urge the relevant international media bodies to note this and to halt this dangerous trend before they further harm the trust of the public,” the Government said.

In a separate press release on Thursday, the Government urged media outlets that published videos and photos from the funerals of the victims of the nightclub fire in Kochani contrary to the published guidelines to remove them and to stop sharing them.

“In these difficult moments we reiterate our appeal to the press who attended today’s funeral for the victims of the tragic fire that broke out at the nightclub in Kochani to stick to the ethical principles,” the Government said.

The Government said most media outlets have not published photographs and videos from the families of the victims and urged those who have to stick to the principles of ethical reporting.

“The sensitivity of the tragedy and the personal pain of the families should not be a target of sensationalism, emotional narratives, photographs and videos at this moment. We urge the media to respect the privacy and dignity of the families and to avoid at all costs causing personal distress or distress to the public with their reporting. We would like to reiterate our appeal to the media to report checked facts, to avoid speculation and disinformation, and to respect the privacy of the families and the victims,” the Government said in the press release.

Photo: MIA Archive