12. 02. 2014

NEWSPAPER SUED FOR READER'S LETTER

Becej, 12.02.2014 (Beta, Mondo) - Before the High Court in Novi Sad today a hearing was held on a lawsuit by president of the Association of Becej Scouts Marija Mikovic.

She sued the local newspaper "Becejski Mozaik" seeking damages in the amount of 300,000 dinars for emotional distress.

The lawsuit was filed because "Becejski Mozaik " published a reader's letters which were critical of the activities in the Scout Park in Becej. The park is managed and maintained by the local scout association.

In the letter, the reader expressed personal opinion about cutting down of trees and other vegetation in the Scout Park in February 2013.

Editor-in-chief of "Becejski Mozaik " Vladan Filipcev said that he was surprised that his newspaper was sued for published a reader's letter and added that if the plaintiff wins a lawsuit there is a real danger that "Becejski Mozaik" will go out of business.

He told Beta news agency that the newspaper, when publishing the letter, had in mind a legitimate interest of the public to know what is happening in the city park which most local citizens are very much fond of.

He added that in the same issue an interview with the plaintiff Marija Mikovic was published about the activities of the Association of Becej Scouts, and she was told that the newspaper received a critical letter from a reader.

"Therefore, we gave Mrs. Mikovic an opportunity to immediately respond to the allegations of the reader, thus respecting the requirements of the Code of Ethics of Serbian Journalists which requires that we publish two different views about a same issue," said Filipcev.