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“Dear representatives of the media,

I congratulate you on World Press Freedom Day.

Freedom and culture are the phenomena which are not impossible to measure, and which are necessary for every country and people, state and society. In the media field freedom and culture exist not in parallel, but mixed up. And any encroachment against free speech is also encroachment against culture, as the press being culture itself, also creates culture. At the same time, suppressing the free speech with weapon and violence is as unacceptable and inadmissible, as is using it as a weapon and tool of violence.

More than quarter of a century, the journalists’ creative mind and speech are free from compulsion. The only compulsive force is the truth which is necessary not in the media society. And the truth can be fully displayed in an atmosphere, where it is possible to think and act unconstrained and free, where there is sober feeling of dignity and fair evaluation of situation. In such atmosphere the media is born, which supports and serves to have healthy civil society and political field, strong state and welfare society, the media which the citizen expects and believes.

The press exists for not being loved, but also to reflect and change us – the state, the society and the citizens to make us better, to teach us to have a dialogue, to be united, to find common language and to realize both each other’s value and the importance of statehood.

Once again congratulating on World Press Freedom Day I wish you, dear representatives of mass media, health and peace, optimism and welfare.”