10/07/2008: AUSTRIA – RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SEEMO REGION’S MEDIA ENVIRONMENT

Vienna, 10/07/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about several recent developments in the SEEMO region’s media environment.

Political pressure was exerted on journalists in late June in Macedonia (Republic of Macedonia – Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), when Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski accused several correspondents from Brussels of “speculating to the expense of their own country” following his official visit to the country. Gruevski also suggested that the media should work in the country’s interests. SEEMO condemns such statements as an unacceptable attempt to impinge on journalistic independence, and emphasizes that journalists have a right to report what they see, including by articulating critical opinions and encouraging dynamic debate, which are vital in democratic societies.

SEEMO also expresses concern about the case of Boris Pejovic, a photojournalist for the Montenegrin daily Republika and the EPA press photo agency. Pejovic was arrested by the police on 12 June at 12.30 pm, while reporting on a protest by workers of a local company.

During the protest, Pejovic and other journalists were asked to move to the side, from where they continued to cover the event. A police officer then approached Pejovic, but refused to recognise his official press document, issued by Pejovic’s newspaper. Pejovic was taken to a police office, where he remained for about one hour. According to Pejovic, he was treated like “the worst criminal”, and was not permitted to call either his newspaper or a lawyer. As Pejovic reported, the police chief told him that he “has no rights”, and that the policeman could apply physical force, without suffering any consequences. Pejovic was released without having received any sort of written document regarding the reasons for his arrest, but subsequently received an official communication indicating that he would be charged for an offence.

SEEMO condemns such behaviour by the police. Journalists have the right to be present at events of public importance in order to report on them. SEEMO is especially concerned about the fact that Pejovic was arrested and not allowed to use the phone to call his lawyer.

SEEMO was also informed of a problematic Montenegrin draft law, the Law on Electronic Communications, which provides that the council members of the Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services shall be appointed by the government. This clearly provides an opportunity for direct political influence on the media. SEEMO requests the parliament and the government of Montenegro to consider international standards and to propose a law that permits the media to remain independent.

SEEMO is alarmed about these cases, all of which involve pressure on journalists and the principle of freedom of expression. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, noted, “it is vital for journalists to be able to carry out their work in safety, and to be able to report freely on current affairs. Any attempts to influence media independence, whether by way of verbal or physical harassment, or by way of laws that don’t conform to international standards, are unacceptable in modern society.”

Vienna, 10/07/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about new threats issued against Dusan Miljus, a journalist for Jutarnji list, a Croatian daily.

According to the Croatian Journalists’ Association, on 9 July, serious threats were communicated by telephone to a relative of Miljus, who was told that if Miljus did not “stop talking, other members of his family might get hurt”. The unknown male caller then clearly indicated that he had information about Miljus’s family members. Miljus was assaulted by two unknown assailants in front of his Zagreb home on June 2. In that attack, regarding which SEEMO issued a protest letter, he suffered a fractured left arm, a concussion and facial injuries. Miljus was also previously threatened by way of a paid advertisement in Vecernji List, when the sister of a murdered criminal convict issued an obituary for Miljus.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated that he was “alarmed about these new threats, and the police’s continued failure to track the assailants responsible for the June attack on Miljus”.

SEEMO notes that these threats are not only attacks on personal freedoms, but also on investigative journalism and freedom of speech in general. SEEMO urges Croatian authorities to do everything in their power to protect Miljus and his family, and to bring the attackers to justice.

Vienna, 10/07/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about several recent developments in the SEEMO region’s media environment.

Political pressure was exerted on journalists in late June in Macedonia (Republic of Macedonia – Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), when Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski accused several correspondents from Brussels of “speculating to the expense of their own country” following his official visit to the country. Gruevski also suggested that the media should work in the country’s interests. SEEMO condemns such statements as an unacceptable attempt to impinge on journalistic independence, and emphasizes that journalists have a right to report what they see, including by articulating critical opinions and encouraging dynamic debate, which are vital in democratic societies.

SEEMO also expresses concern about the case of Boris Pejovic, a photojournalist for the Montenegrin daily Republika and the EPA press photo agency. Pejovic was arrested by the police on 12 June at 12.30 pm, while reporting on a protest by workers of a local company.

During the protest, Pejovic and other journalists were asked to move to the side, from where they continued to cover the event. A police officer then approached Pejovic, but refused to recognise his official press document, issued by Pejovic’s newspaper. Pejovic was taken to a police office, where he remained for about one hour. According to Pejovic, he was treated like “the worst criminal”, and was not permitted to call either his newspaper or a lawyer. As Pejovic reported, the police chief told him that he “has no rights”, and that the policeman could apply physical force, without suffering any consequences. Pejovic was released without having received any sort of written document regarding the reasons for his arrest, but subsequently received an official communication indicating that he would be charged for an offence.

SEEMO condemns such behaviour by the police. Journalists have the right to be present at events of public importance in order to report on them. SEEMO is especially concerned about the fact that Pejovic was arrested and not allowed to use the phone to call his lawyer.

SEEMO was also informed of a problematic Montenegrin draft law, the Law on Electronic Communications, which provides that the council members of the Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services shall be appointed by the government. This clearly provides an opportunity for direct political influence on the media. SEEMO requests the parliament and the government of Montenegro to consider international standards and to propose a law that permits the media to remain independent.

SEEMO is alarmed about these cases, all of which involve pressure on journalists and the principle of freedom of expression. Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, noted, “it is vital for journalists to be able to carry out their work in safety, and to be able to report freely on current affairs. Any attempts to influence media independence, whether by way of verbal or physical harassment, or by way of laws that don’t conform to international standards, are unacceptable in modern society.”

Vienna, 10/07/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about new threats issued against Dusan Miljus, a journalist for Jutarnji list, a Croatian daily.

According to the Croatian Journalists’ Association, on 9 July, serious threats were communicated by telephone to a relative of Miljus, who was told that if Miljus did not “stop talking, other members of his family might get hurt”. The unknown male caller then clearly indicated that he had information about Miljus’s family members. Miljus was assaulted by two unknown assailants in front of his Zagreb home on June 2. In that attack, regarding which SEEMO issued a protest letter, he suffered a fractured left arm, a concussion and facial injuries. Miljus was also previously threatened by way of a paid advertisement in Vecernji List, when the sister of a murdered criminal convict issued an obituary for Miljus.

SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic stated that he was “alarmed about these new threats, and the police’s continued failure to track the assailants responsible for the June attack on Miljus”.

SEEMO notes that these threats are not only attacks on personal freedoms, but also on investigative journalism and freedom of speech in general. SEEMO urges Croatian authorities to do everything in their power to protect Miljus and his family, and to bring the attackers to justice.

Vienna, 11/06/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the assault on staff members of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) in Kosovo.

According to BIRN, at approximately 1:30 pm on 6 June, members of its team were assaulted by a security staffer while filming outside of the Kosovo Judicial Council’s premises in Pristina. BIRN stated that the reporters in no way endangered the safety of the building or interfered with the staff’s work.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, commented, “It is important for journalists to be able to work in an open environment, and the security staff of a judicial body should be setting a good example instead of interfering with that right.”

Vienna, 04/06/2008

To:

Ivo Sanader
Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia

Berislav Roncevic
Minister for Internal Affairs

Ivo Sanader
Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia
10 000 Zagreb
Croatia
Fax: +385 1 6303 022

Berislav Roncevic
Minister for Internal Affairs
10 000 Zagreb
Croatia
Fax: +385 1 6122 452

Your Excellencies,

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply alarmed about the brutal attack on Dusan Miljus, a journalist for Jutarnji list, a Croatian daily.

According to information before SEEMO, at around 8.15 pm on 2 June, two assailants wearing motorcycle helmets approached Miljus in front of his building in Zagreb, and violently attacked him with bats until he lost consciousness. The attackers fled the scene when a neighbour noticed the attack and started yelling.

Miljus, who was hospitalised, suffered a fractured left arm, a concussion and facial injuries. His writings span 20 years and cover crime in South East Europe, the mafia and Croatian underground circles. Miljus has previously been threatened in connection with his investigative journalism, but has received no protection.

SEEMO is dismayed by this attack, which constitutes a direct threat to investigative journalism and freedom of the press more generally. Democracy falters where journalists are forced to operate in constant fear for their lives.

SEEMO therefore urges Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to ensure Miljus’s protection, and to bring to justice the persons behind this brutal incident.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

SEEMO Secretary General

Vienna, 29/04/2008
To:

Mr. Nikola Spiric
Chairman of Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Milorad Zivkovic

Chairman of House of Representatives of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Niko Lozancic
First Deputy of Chairman of House of Representatives of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Beriz Belkic
Second Deputy of Chairman of House of Representatives of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Sulejman Tihic
Chairman of House of Peoples of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Mladen Ivanic
First Deputy of Chairman of House of Peoples of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mr. Ilija Filipovic
Chairman of House of Peoples of Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Your Excellencies,

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about recent developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s media environment.

According to information provided to SEEMO by the “BH Journalists” Association, on 18 April 2008, during a press conference in the town of Bihac, Sadik Bahtic, a Member of Parliament (MP) and a member of one of the leading political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina, allegedly tried to physically prevent Federal Television journalist Avdo Avdic and cameraman Refik Vejsilagic from attending the scheduled conference. SEEMO’s sources allege that MP Bahtic and a colleague first attempted to hinder the journalists by trying to cover their camera’s lens, and that the incident subsequently escalated into a fight. During the same conference, MP Bahtic allegedly prevented Mirsad Fazlagic, a journalist for Slobodna Bosna, from entering, stating that neither Avdic, Vejsilagic nor Fazlagic “had been invited”.

On 23 April, a protest organised by Start magazine in response to the incident gathered approximately one hundred journalists in front of Sarajevo’s parliament during a joint session of both parliament houses. Journalists from Oslobodjenje, Dnevni Avaz, San, Slobodna Bosna, Nezavisne Novine, Dani, TRVFBiH, BHRT, eFM Radio, Radio 202, TVSa and other media outlets were joined by members of NGOs as well as by private citizens.

SEEMO has also been informed about other troubling developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina, involving increased pressure on the Communications Regulatory Agency, an internationally-recognised, state-level independent regulator. According to SEEMO’s sources, the exerted pressure was related to the body’s core activities, including its financial independence and the appointment of its members, thus calling into question the very essence of a free media in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SEEMO expresses dismay at these allegations of both direct physical confrontation of journalists and of interference with independent regulators, and urges timely investigations into these matters. It would like to emphasize that physical violence against journalists is particularly problematic when carried out by official representatives, who can send potentially dangerous signals regarding the treatment of journalists with their actions.

However, SEEMO would also like to express its encouragement about upcoming discussions involving parliament representatives and the House of Representatives regarding a proposed business consolidation plan for BHRT, a public broadcasting service in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is vital that such entities can function transparently and are financed in a manner that ensures their stability and permits them to function at arm’s length from the government, and SEEMO urges all parties to keep these principles in mind in their upcoming discussions.

Yours Sincerely,

Oliver Vujovic

SEEMO Secretary General

Vienna, 22/04/2008

IPI / SEEMO Express Concern Regarding European Commission Liaison Office Comment on Publishing Information without Prior Institutional Consent

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about a letter of complaint sent to Koha Ditore by the European Commission (EC) Liaison Office to Kosovo, after the Kosovar daily published an article based on a letter of communication between the EC and Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) in Kosovo.

According to information before SEEMO, on April 15, Koha Ditore published an article entitled “MEF Risks 5 million that were Committed to New Privatization Agency”, which was based on a communication between the EC Liaison Office and MEF. The EC Liaison Office subsequently sent a letter to Koha Ditore’s editor-in-chief, expressing “strong disapproval of the practice of publishing internal communication[s] without prior consent” from both institutions.

SEEMO would like to emphasize that, where journalists are limited to publishing only those articles approved for publication by the government or international institutions they essentially function as spokespersons for those entities, a role at complete odds with their goal of providing information that is in the public interest.

“The media functions as an important pillar of democratic society by performing its work in the interest of the public,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. “It is important that governments and international institutions support investigative reporting, which permits members of the public to access a wide range of information, in turn allowing the necessary public debate of issues that affect them.”

Vienna, 11/04/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), strongly condemns the attempted murder of Ivo Pukanic, co-owner and director of Nacional, a weekly news magazine from Croatia.

According to information before SEEMO, shortly before midnight on 9 April 2008, an unidentified assailant carrying a gun with a silencer approached Pukanic on the street in front of his apartment. The assailant first threatened to kill Pukanic, and then shot at him from a distance of several meters. When the first shot was fired, Pukanic ducked and the bullet narrowly missed his head. The assailant again pulled the trigger, but his weapon jammed up. He ultimately fled the scene without hitting Pukanic.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, stated that, “it is essential that the attacker is discovered. Pukanic is a well-known media owner, and his weekly Nacional has long played an important role in Croatia. We welcome the fact that Pukanic and his daughter received a 24-hour police escort for their protection.”

SEEMO is very alarmed about this attack, and urges the Croatian authorities to do everything in their power to find those responsible, and to bring them to justice.

Vienna, 04/04/2008

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about recent death threats against a group of Macedonian journalists.

According to information before SEEMO, several Macedonian journalists, professors and politicians received anonymous death threats warning that they would be “liquidated” if they did not stop being “anti-Macedonian” in current dialogues with Greece regarding the countries’ dispute over the state’s name. Some of the e-mails were signed by an organisation identifying itself as the “Macedonian guard”. The e-mails containing these threats were aimed at a group of journalists from both print and electronic media in favour of reaching a compromise in the talks between the two neighbouring countries. The debate regarding the appropriate name for the Republic of Macedonia/Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia began with the break-up of former Yugoslavia, with Greece objecting to the name Macedonia because a Greek northern region bears the same name.

According to SEEMO’s sources, the messages were sent by ultra-nationalist circles, and the targeted journalists refuse to be intimidated by the threats.

“Intimidating journalists and forcing them to self-censor their work is not acceptable”, said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. He added: “Vigorous political debates, which are vital in democratic societies, are possible only where people have access to a variety of opinions.” SEEMO therefore strongly condemns these threats, and urges the authorities in Skopje to take action to ensure that the culprits are promptly identified.