05. 06. 2002

ANEM STATEMENT ON RADIO JASENICA

BELGRADE, June 5, 2002 – ANEM has protested strongly against an incident in Smederevska Palanka’s Radio Jasenica yesterday. The Smederevska Palanka Municipal Council passed a decision on March 29 this year dismissing the director of Radio Jasenica, Dragoslav Travica, and the station’s editor-in-chief Zoran Stanosevic, because changes had previously been made in the municipal leadership in line with the votes of Socialist Party of Serbia councillors and some members of DOS. Based on this decision, Socialist Olga Kojadinovic had been appointed editor-in-chief and a member of the Socialist Party’s municipal committee, Novica Pavlovic, was appointed head of advertising. Democratic Party member Zika Petrovic was appointed director of the station, despite the fact that he had never worked in the media. Serbian Renewal Movement member Dragan Tomanovic was appointed editor. ANEM reports that the personnel changes led to changes in the editorial policy of Radio Jasenica, and that the sacked director Travica went on holiday after this Municipal Council decision, then took several days sick leave. After he returned he found that his contract had been terminated on May 31, by decision of the new acting director, Petrovic, for his allegedly irresponsible attitude towards his work.