Skopje, 20 March 2025 (MIA) - The Association of Journalists of Macedonia (AJM) and the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) are calling on all journalists and media outlets to consistently respect ethical principles and professional standards when covering the funerals for the victims in the fire in Kochani, including respecting the privacy and dignity of those affected by the tragedy, avoiding sensationalism, reporting based on verified information, with balance and impartiality. 

The Government, in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and in consultation with the AJM and the SSNM, has developed a safety protocol for reporting on the funerals for the victims in the tragic event of March 16 in Kochani. 

"Journalists should show empathy, while respecting the privacy of the families of the victims. Reporting on tragic events, must be free from sensationalism, speculation or emotionally charged narratives, photos and videos. Reporting should be accurate according to the facts in order to prevent misinformation. The media should ensure that their reporting does not contribute to causing anxiety in the public," it is noted. 

For media representatives covering the event, police officers will secure a special area on the funeral procession route. The designated area will be secured by members of the Ministry of Interior to guarantee order and security. A ban on drone operations will also be in place in this zone.

The Government said this media protocol is aimed at protecting the privacy of the families of the victims, while allowing journalists and news camera operators to safely follow the event from an appropriate distance.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in its March 19 press release on media coverage of the tragedy in Kochani also stressed the importance of ethical reporting. The IFJ draws attention to its Global Charter of Ethics and urges journalists and media outlets to respect professional ethical principles when covering tragic events, underscoring the duty to respect privacy and not allow urgency or immediacy to take precedence over the verification of facts. 

"In order to ensure unhindered movement and identification, media workers should carry press badges and press cards issued by their outlets," the Government said.

The Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AVMU) also called on the media to report on the funerals for the victims in the fire without sensationalism and to respect the personal pain and grief of the families, relatives and loved ones of the victims. 

AJM's Code of Ethics for Journalists states that the journalist shall respect the privacy of every person, except in cases when that is on the contrary with the public interest, and the journalist is obliged to respect the personal pain and grief. Also, the manner of informing in case of accident, elementary disaster, war, family tragedy, sickness, court procedures must be free from sensationalism. 

The journalist, it reads, must not interview or photograph children under 16 years of age without agreement from the parents or legal guardians, unless that is in accordance to the children rights. The same refers to people with special needs, who are not able to decide rationally.

The Institute for Sociological and Political-Legal Research at UKIM, in its guidelines for journalists and media professionals when reporting on traumatic events, points out that reporting should maintain a calm, non-violent attitude at all times. It is necessary to ask people if the time is appropriate for them to make a statement. They should never persuade people to share their stories.

The Macedonian Institute for Media (MIM) also calls for responsible reporting on the tragedy in Kochani. MIM points out that in such sensitive situations, it is essential for citizens to have access to accurate and verified information.

AVMU and the Institute for Sociological and Political-Legal Research, among other things, appealed to the media to provide the necessary support to their media workers who have been exposed to exceptional stress and, thus, health risks in recent days while performing their work duties.

The fire that broke out at the nightclub in Kochani on Sunday killed 59 people. The funerals for the victims of the fire in Kochani will be held on Thursday in Kochani, Shtip, Probishtip, Obleshevo, Strumica and Skopje. 

Photo: MIA archive