The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called on the Greek government to investigate reports that local authorities near the border with the Macedonia failed to respect Macedonian journalists' rights.

"We understand concerns about filming near security and military institutions, but we believe the Greek government must provide a full explanation of the circumstances around the arrest of these journalists," said IFJ Deputy General Secretary Paco Audije.

"There must be no suggestion that accredited journalists have been subject to unwarranted pressure and harassment," Audije said.

Meanwhile a discussion dedicated to the problems in Lerin initiated by Greek journalist led them to condemn their government for detaining the Macedonian journalists. This is a rariity in Greece as their journalists are mostly aligned with the opinion of the State. The journalist panel concluded Greece scored an own goal with the detentions.