Skopje, 2 November 2021 (MIA) – The 2017 Parliament storming is the gravest incident in which not only the rights of some 20 reporters and media workers were violated but also the right to inform members of the public citizens was violated. Journalists were left on their own to seek justice, said the Journalists’ Association of Macedonia (ZNM) and the Independent Trade Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) at a gathering Tuesday outside the Public Prosecution’s Office on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The courts where we sought justice demonstrated different practices, said ZNM president Mladen Chadikovski. “They failed to identify the perpetrators and they also failed to acknowledge that the state also didn’t protect the journalists,” he said, adding that the message that was sent could be read as “We don’t need journalism.” “That’s why we are here today, to remind everyone that justice was selective when it comes to the Parliament storming on April 27, 2017. The politicians were protected, while media workers were left high and dry,” Chadikovski told reporters. The 2017 Parliament storming, he noted,  is the symbol of impunity for attacks against journalists. Chadikovski called on the relevant institutions to effectively investigate all attacks on journalists and to fine the perpetrators. “The institutions have to realize that an attack on a journalist is also an attack on free speech, the right to the citizens to be informed and on democracy as well,” he stressed. SSNM and ZNM have initiated changes to the Criminal Code so as to put an end to attacks on journalists and attackers to be prosecuted for obstruction of officer. “After five years, there is yet an obstruction of officer case to be investigated since the law is yet to be adopted in Parliament,” said SSNM president Pavle Belovski, who recounted an incident in which he and his crew were attacked five years ago. He urged the relevant institutions to right the wrong, firstly with MPs adopting the changes to the law. “That’s why we are standing here today. We want to tell the Public Prosecution’s Office that once MPs adopt the amendments, it will no longer have an excuse not to prosecute attackers of journalists, who might face a jail sentence under the law if convicted.