August 6 (BTA) - The Council for Electronic Media (CEM) is seriously concerned about what it sees as increasingly frequent assaults on journalists. "Any assault on a journalist and anything that is done to keep a journalist from doing their job is a direct encroachment on the freedom of speech and the achievements of democracy," the CEM said in a position statement.

The statement comes a day after masked men assaulted Svobodna Evropa (Free Europe) journalist Paulina Paounova during a conference of the ruling GERB party in Sofia, and a GERB enthusiast called her "scum."

The CEM called on the general public to respect the professional rights of journalists, their freedom and dignity. "We believe that the competent authorities will do their job promptly and professionally and will identify the perpetrators." The CEM urged politicians and public figures to show responsibility in their public statements and actions vis-а-vis journalists and the media. RY/VE
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