19. 08. 2005

SEEMO PROTESTS ILIC’S BEHAVIOR

VIENNA, August 19, 2005 – The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is alarmed about the recent insults and threats by a high-ranking Serbian politician and his advisor directed at journalists. According to information before SEEMO, on 15 August, during a press conference in Kopaonik, Serbian Capital Investments Minister Velimir Ilic was answering questions about the court case against Marko Milosevic, son of former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. Taking exception to the questions asked by the RTV B92 reporter, Ana Veljkovic, he started insulting the station's journalists and said they were sick and needed psychiatric treatment. According to Veljkovic, after Ilic left the conference, his media advisor, Petar Lazovic, approached her and started insulting her. He told her to tell Veran Matic, director and editor-in-chief of RTV B92, that he would kill him. SEEMO regards these insults and threats as a very serious and direct violation of press freedom and journalists' rights. We ask the authorities in Serbia to start an investigation into this case and to take all necessary legal steps. SEEMO would like to remind the Serbian government that a safe working environment for journalists is a fundamental principle in every democratic society. American expert for the Balkans from the US Institute of Peace Daniel Serwer told The Voice of America that Velimir Ilic’ behavior needs to be seen in a broader context. “This goes beyond an ordinary incident. I think that really it’s about the future of Serbia and the way in which it will resolve the remaining criminal activity from the past, because this incident didn’t come out of the blue, but because of Marko Milosevic and the charges raised against him”, he said. “Because of this, I believe that this is not about some obvious incident and unacceptable remarks made by one minister to a journalist, but about how Serbia relates to unacceptable events in the past. Obviously there are people who are not pleased that B92 is trying, in an open and honest way, to throw light on criminal activities and because it advocates those responsible being brought to justice. I would say that a pretty large number of the members of the current Serbian Cabinet don’t want this kind of journalism”, said Serwer. Serwer believes that the latest incident should not cause alarm among Serbian journalists. “I know a sufficient number of courageous journalists in Serbia who will respond to this by being even more determined to uncover the truth. I would even say that the reason many officials restrain themselves from attacks is that they would only become an even bigger target of journalists’ investigations”, he added.