03. 02. 2004

SERBIAN RADICAL PARTY OFFICIAL MILORAD MIRČIĆ ATTACKS NOVI SAD DAILY "GRADJANSKI LIST"

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly protests a statement by Serbian Radical Party official Milorad Mircic in which he described Novi Sad daily Gradjanski List as "Ustasha", and its journalists as "filthy traitors and spies."

ANEM notes that at a press conference yesterday, Mircic claimed that in an interview with Radical Party deputy leader Tomislav Nikolic published on February 2, Gradjanski List "put words into his mouth that the Radical Party is in favour of removing Vojvodina's autonomy."

In the interview with Gradjanski List, Radical Party deputy leader Tomislav Nikolic said that the Radicals would cooperate with all parties in favour of "scrapping" the autonomy of Vojvodina. "Our policy is completely clear: strong local self-government above which is the republic government, without transmission. This closing-off of Vojvodina into its own borders and quiet creation of a state does not reflect the will of the citizens of Vojvodina, or the citizens of Serbia," said Nikolic.

ANEM stresses that the return to public life of hate speech, insult and disqualification of journalistic and political difference of opinion on a religious or national basis is absolutely unacceptable. The association notes the not-so-distant past when similar threats and accusations served as a prelude to sackings and framed judicial proceedings against journalists, punishment under the repressive 1998 Public Information Act, and the unsolved murder of journalist Slavko Curuvija. Recall that Curuvija was first branded a traitor.

ANEM calls on journalists, the media and their professional associations to show solidarity with their colleagues from Gradjanski List, who now fnd themsvelves under attack, and the entire democratic public to speak out against the return of this form of public expression. The state institutions are asked to take measures to enable the media, without fear of being threatened, to inform the people about matters they have an interest in knowing.

Slobodan Stojsic
Chairman of ANEM Managing Board