Indira Baldé, who was speaking within the scope of a commemorative forum for World Press Freedom Day, which is being celebrated today, stated that the enactment of the Press Card Law "will allow us to know who the real journalists are" in Guinea-Bissau.

The Law on the Professional Press Card has been awaiting enactment by Sissoco Embaló since November 2020, when it was approved by the Council of Ministers.

According to the union president, this instrument, if approved, will allow the regulation and valorisation of journalistic work in the country.

"The Professional Press Card Law will allow for the reinforcement of true journalism in Guinea-Bissau", stressed Indira Baldé.

The union president observed that Guinea-Bissau "climbed in the 'ranking'" of World Press Freedom, compiled annually by the organisation Reporters Without Borders, between 2022 and 2023, and is now in 68th place out of 180 countries evaluated.

"Guinea-Bissau climbed 14 places in relation to 2022, but we are still in the orange zone, that is, in a problematic situation", she noted.

In the evaluation by Reporters Without Borders, in addition to political instability, Guinean journalists are still victims of political and economic pressure and work in a precarious environment, said the union president.

Indira Correia Baldé also appealed to the Government to analyse a proposal that was submitted to it on the remuneration status of media professionals in the country.

"May the State create a subsidy fund for public, private and community media outlets, given the importance of the work that they provide" to society, she said.

Within the scope of the celebrations for World Press Freedom Day, the "Comprehensive National Framework for the Safety of Journalists in Guinea-Bissau" was launched today, a mechanism that, according to the union president, "will allow for the reduction of the vulnerability of media professionals".

"This mechanism will allow for a rapid response in case of threats or aggression against professionals" in the sector, stated Indira Baldé.

One of the guests at the ceremony to celebrate World Press Freedom Day, the president of the Guinean Human Rights League, Bubacar Turé, praised "the resilience" of the country's journalists, who work in an environment characterised "by intimidation and threats".

"I want to make, once again, a vibrant appeal to the political power in force in Guinea-Bissau, to create conditions for the free exercise of press freedom, facilitating access to information" for media professionals, highlighted Turé.

The president of the Human Rights League stressed that Guinea-Bissau is celebrating Press Freedom Day at a time when "several cases of attacks" against media professionals "remain unpunished".

Leia Também: PR guineense não cumpriu o que prevê a Constituição por falta de dinheiro (Portuguese version)