24. 12. 2012

JOURNALISTS LEFT VALJEVO CITY ASSEMBLY SESSION IN PROTEST

Valjevo, December 24, 2012 (Beta) - Journalists of Valjevo media left the session of the City Assembly today in protest of insults coming from some councilors of the ruling coalition. This act of journalists was supported by the councilors from Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party.

Reporters of Politika, RTS, Napred weekly, VTV, Radio Patak, Radio 014, monthly review Kolubara and Beta news agency had left the hall of the session, however, journalists from Radio Valjevo and private station TV Mars, which covers the sittings of the Assembly, did not follow the example of their colleagues.

The incident occurred when the councilor from the citizens' group "Pobeda" Slobodan Gvozdenovic inappropriately reacted when editor of Radio Patak, Darija Rankovic, removed her voice recorder from the speaking platform.

Gvozdenovic's insults were approved by other councilors and followers of "Pobeda", who then blocked the working presidency of the Assembly, while deputy mayor Dragoljub Krstic, also from "Pobeda", called after the editor with the words "scum".

President of Valjevo City Assembly Mihailo Jokic (SNS) called recess and promised better conditions for the work of journalists when they returned to session.

Speaking in the name of reporters, editor of Radio 014 Slavica Savic-Vujanic said she could not remember worse incident happening in the Valjevo Assembly and that the journalists would leave the session in protest.

Members of DS and LDP councilor Radmila Novakovic, retired journalist of Radio Valjevo, have also left the session. She told the media that she "did not feel safe" anymore in the assembly hall.

Today's session started back on December 17, but was immediately interrupted on the request of SNS political party because of "important and urgent consultations".

Budget and certain personnel solutions were at session's agenda, however, many journalists were not even notified or given materials for today's session.