04/08/2011: MOLDOVA – SEEMO CONDEMNS EXCESSIVE FINES IMPOSED ON MOLDOVAN DAILY ZIARUL DE GARDA

Vienna, 04/08/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the excessive fines imposed on the Moldovan weekly Ziarul de Garda by the Central Court of Chisinau. If imposed, the 500,000 Mdl (approx. 30,000 EUR) fine may result in the closure of the publication.

On 10 February 2011, Ziarul de Garda published a story on two district prosecutors allegedly involved in corruption. The case was previously investigated by the Centre for Combating Economic Crime and Corruption (CCECC). The charges were later dropped and the two prosecutors sued the paper, demanding compensation for moral damage.

On 1 August 2011, the Central Court of Chisinau ruled that the publication should pay 30 000 EUR. The paper does not have those funds, and if the decision is enforced, its owners may have to sell personal assets and face criminal charges.

Ziarul de Garda has three weeks to appeal the decision with the Appeals Court of Chisinau. However, there is a legal provision in Moldova, according to the papers director, Alina Radu, that states that prosecutors may demand that all the accounts of the publication be blocked until the final decision. The paper had experienced this problem in previous court cases. That provision is meant to secure the funds if the final decision confirms the current payment demands. In practical terms, blocking the funds would indirectly mean the paper’s closure.

Considering that courts in Moldova tend to be slow, the trial against Ziarul de Garda has been surprisingly fast. “The excessive fine imposed on the weekly and the speed of the court procedure make me believe that the Ziarul de Garda case may be about press freedom as much as about defamation. Imposing excessive fines implies silencing the media. I urge Moldovan courts to reconsider the decision and rule according to international standards,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

Vienna, 05/08/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), supports the demands of professional journalists’ associations in Serbia to participate in a democratic and transparent debate in the formulation of the country’s new media strategy.

Serbia has made several attempts to draft a new media strategy in accordance with international standards. Since 2010, studies have been commissioned and discussions held in order to compile different views related to this strategic document.

Finally, the members of a working group composed of the representatives of journalists’ associations and the Ministry of Culture agreed on a proposal. When media professionals celebrated the agreement, they learned that the Ministry of Culture was allegedly preparing a parallel document and forming an alternative working group.

Media professionals were stunned to learn that the government was “hiding its cards,” said Veran Matic, SEEMO coordinator for Serbia and president of the board of directors of B92. “This is an irreparable mistake that they have inflicted on the democratic process and on us,” he added.

“Additional suspicions stem from the fact that the whole process has been conveyed during summer and the summer vacations, a time of year in which, unfortunately, this Government has used to adopt controversial media legislative acts. The latest examples are the changes to the Public Information Act adopted two years ago, and in the meantime proclaimed unconstitutional. There is a justified fear that something similar might have happened this time, too, and that is why it is important to pay additional attention to democracy and transparency in this important process, which is one of the key processes for the further democratization of Serbia and a better position for journalists and the media in Serbia,” wrote Matic in a letter addressed to the EU Commission and the Council of Europe.

Vukasin Obradovic, president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) wondered: “Is it in the spirit of democratic procedure that such an important act would be adopted without a public debate?”

In a newspaper interview, Ljiljana Smajlovic, president of the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS), commented: “We want to have an opportunity to give our opinion on the suggestions [for a media strategy] that will be presented by the Ministry of Culture”.

“I fully support the demands of different professional associations in Serbia to participate in a public debate on a new media strategy. This strategy will serve as a basis for future media laws,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

KOSOVO, 08/08/2011
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the latest attacks on journalists in Kosovo.

On 3 August 2011, there were two separate incidents involving physical attacks against journalists.

Shkodran Gajrakuand, a journalist for TV Klan, and Veton Ethemi, a cameraman, were beaten by firefighters when they tried to film a fire in a cemetery in Vushtrri/Vucitrn. They were obliged to seek medical treatment.

Nedjeljko Zejak, Pristina correspondent for the Belgrade-based daily Pravda, was verbally and physically attacked in Gracanica/ Graçanicë by a Kosovo politician’s advisor and her bodyguard. The advisor allegedly disliked an article published in the paper the previous day.

“SEEMO believes that physical attacks are not the way to express dissatisfaction with media coverage. There are other legal channels to present complaints,” said Oliver Vujovic and called on the Pristina authorities “to investigate both cases. Unpunished attacks on journalists are not acceptable in a democratic society,” he added.

Vienna, 22/08/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the detention of two journalists in northwestern Greece.

On 16 August 2011, the Skopje-based journalists, Goran Momirovski of Kanal 5 television and Milena Gjorgjievska, a journalist with the daily Vest, accompanied a group of senior citizens from the Republic of Macedonia/Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, who were trying to obtain their birth certificates in Florina, northwestern Greece. These citizens, born in Greece, live in the Republic of Macedonia/Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Momirovski told SEEMO that he was filming the people who tried to get their documents and did not film any public buildings. Gjorgjievska did not film anything. They were detained in the street and held for two hours while police reviewed the filmed material in order to make sure no public buildings were filmed.

“It is not acceptable that police detain journalists in the street in a democratic country. I urge the Greek authorities to respect international standards for media freedom and guarantee foreign journalists the right to work freely in Greece,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

Vienna, 29/08/2011

One month after a car belonging to the Montenegrin daily Vijesti was torched, a new company car was set ablaze on 27 August 2011. This is the third attack on Vijesti property since 14 July 2011, when the first two cars were torched. All four cars – destroyed in three separate attacks – were clearly marked.

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the series of targeted attacks against the Montenegrin daily newspaper Vijesti. “There seems to be a clear pattern developing here with Vijesti cars systemically set on fire,” said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic.

Despite the prompt condemnations of the previous attacks, Montenegrin authorities have not been effective in creating an environment in which journalists can work free from pressure.

On 24 September 2010, Zeljko Ivanovic, one of Vijesti’s founders, and several other journalists, received death threats by mail.

On 5 August 2009, Mihailo Jovovic, editor of Vijesti, and Boris Pejovic, a photojournalist, were physically attacked by the mayor of Podgorica and his son while documenting their illegal parking in town. The mayor’s son used his gun to threaten the journalist. Jovovic was treated in hospital for a head injury.

On 1 September 2007, Zeljko Ivanovic was physically attacked by several assailants near a restaurant, where the newspaper was celebrating its 10th anniversary. Ivanovic was injured and received medical treatment. Although the perpetrators of this attack were found, the masterminds remain at large.

“The recurrent attacks on Vijesti lead me to believe that this daily is a deliberate target. I urge the authorities in Montenegro to do everything in their power to find the perpetrators, and prevent such incidents from happening in the future,” said Oliver Vujovic.

Vienna, 30/08/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemns the brutal beating of Zorana Bojovic, correspondent for the Serbian news agency BETA in the Russian Federation. The correspondent and her husband, Russian journalist Gennady Sysoyev, were beaten in a town near Moscow on 14 August 2011.

Bojovic spent several days in hospital due to the severity of her injuries. As she informed SEEMO, the police have dismissed the case and the prosecution refrained from pressing charges.

“I am very concerned that what happened to Zorana and Gennady can happen to anyone, either for professional reasons or because they happened to be in the street at the wrong time. I urge the Russian authorities to investigate this case and punish the perpetrators,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

Vienna, 15/09/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), demands the immediate release of Viktor Lazic, a travel writer for the Belgrade-based daily, Press.

Lazic was detained on 3 September 2011 on the border between Georgia and South Ossetia. According to the journalist, he was detained because he had allegedly crossed the border of the self proclaimed territory of South Ossetia. He is being held in solitary confinement.

During the past four years, Lazic has been travelling around the world and filing weekly stories for Press.

“It is unacceptable to detain a journalist without reason,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. “I urge the authorities in Tskhinvali to give an explanation for his illegal detention and release the journalist immediately.”

Vienna, 16/09/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute, condemns political and police pressure on investigative journalists who have revealed alleged illegal financing of the governing political party.

On Sunday 11 September 2011, Zagreb-based daily Vecernji List carried a story on illegal party finances and electoral campaigns. On 15 September 2011, the Bureau for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) summoned one of the authors, Josip Bohutinski, to testify. The police expected the journalist to reveal his sources but they did not pressure him to do so. Citing media law, Bohutinski did not cooperate.

Croatia’s Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, and a member of the governing party, announced that that whistleblowers had to be found and that a thorough investigation would be carried out.

“I strongly condemn this political and police pressure on journalists,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General. “Journalists do not have to reveal their sources and such campaigns are designed to spread fear. I call on Croatia’s Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and the state agency USKOK to stop using undemocratic methods to silence the media. Considering that Croatia is about to join the EU, this type of method is even more surprising.”

Vienna, 29/09/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns political pressure and administrative decisions in the Ukrainian region of Kharkov that resulted in taking the independent ATN TV channel off the air.

Established in 1993, the Television Agency News (ATN) from Kharkov has been facing a series of administrative problems that have prevented it from transmitting its programs. This broadcaster critical of the city mayor and regional administrator has been unable to transmit its programs because no provider would accept to do it.

In a public letter addressed to Ukraine’ s president Viktor Yanukovich, the 55- signed journalists wrote that providers were openly asked to abstain from transmitting ATN programs, while others were asked to delay the service as long as possible. ATN has applied to several providers to transmit their programs. Since 14 September 2011, it has been off the air.

“I urge president Yanukovich to help the ATN TV and make it possible for the channel to broadcast again. Media pluralism is important for Ukraine, the country that aspires to join the European Union,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.

Vienna, 30/09/2011

The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute, condemns an attack on a TV Tutin crew and urges Serbia`s authorities to protect journalists, especially in local communities. Tutin is a small town in Sandzak, a region in southwest Serbia with a strong Bosniak ethnic minority. TV Tutin is a local public service.

On 27 September 2011, a two-member TV crew was filming construction of a local cultural centre when four individuals approached and started beating them. A doctor examined the injuries of both the journalist and the cameraman. Neither was hospitalized. After beating the journalists, the four individuals went to a nearby café. The police reacted several hours later, when TV Tutin’ s editor-in-chief threatened to call Serbia’s Minister of Interior in Belgrade.

SEEMO recalls that Sandzak is a politically divided society, especially among the Bosniak population. In recent years, some religious figures have been struggling for political influence and have used incendiary speeches to transmit their messages. In some cases, these messages border on hate speech.

“SEEMO urges the authorities in Serbia to protect journalists,” said SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic. “They are particularly vulnerable in smaller towns where political pressure is more direct and people know each other. We hope that the police in Tutin and Sandzak will not allow another attack against journalists.”