10. 07. 2003

SEEMO "deeply concerned" by Serbian media situation

Vienna, 10 July, 2003 -- The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) issued a press release today saying it is "deeply concerned" about the media situation in Serbia. SEEMO, a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in the region, and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), condemned the car bomb attack last weekend on Radisav Rodic, owner of daily newspapers Glas Javnosti and Kurir, and urged the authorities to launch an immediate investigation. It called for "greater urgency" in tracking down those behind the murders of Slavko Curuvija and Milan Pantic in 1999 and 2001 respectively. SEEMO noted the "irregularities" in the election of three members of the Broadcasting Council, as well as the resignations of two others, and called on the Serbian Parliament to repeat the entire procedure for the election of all nine members. Serbia's governing coalition has offered only a discussion in parliament of the three disputed members. The organisation said it was "appalled by the behaviour of certain politicians in Serbia, who have, not for the first time, physically attacked journalists." It mentioned in particular an incident in which New Serbia leader and Cacak Mayor Velimir Ilic kicked and insulted Apolo TV journalist Vladimir Jesic. The SEEMO help-line, it said, has already registered numerous verbal threats this year made by local businessmen or politicians against journalists in Serbia.