23. 11. 2007

B92 BACKS ITS UNDER FIRE JOURNALISTS

BELGRADE, 23 November 2007 (B92) - B92 vehemently condemns Liberal Democratic Party columnist Petar Luković’s repeated attacks on B92 reporters and employees.

Following a recent text published in Croatian weekly Feral Tribune, and on a LDP internet presentation where he accused Gordana Paunović, manager of B92’s corporate social responsibility department, of working for the security services, Luković has, in a new text published once again both in Feral and on the same website, continued making the most vulgar insults and qualifications.

His targets this time were TV and radio presenters Olja Bećković and Danica Vučenić, on whose shows LDP leader Čedomir Jovanović recently appeared as a guest. Now that they have been absolved of the security service links, Luković has turned to calling B92 journalists "idiots, madmen and weirdos."

B92 denounces the manner in which personal intolerance, dissension with contrary opinions on the media scene, and particularly objection to the right to ask high-ranking politicians questions of public interest, are demonstrated by displays of outright impertinence, the handing out medical diagnoses, accusations of helping fascism and links with secret services.

What is particularly worrying is the fact one political party in Serbia considers such texts sufficiently relevant that they are highlighted on their own party website side by side with official party statements.

B92 calls on media and press associations to show solidarity with journalists exposed to these most blatant attacks and qualifications, and to protect themselves from those who, masquerading as journalists, breaking all journalistic codes through bribery and inappropriate outbursts of unrestrained hatred, impinge on one’s right to work professionally and put forward one’s own particular opinion.

B92 once more expresses its unreserved support for its journalists and colleagues, who do their job in a professional, conscientious and impartial manner. B92 will do everything in its powers to prevent the public lynching of our employees that is being conducted by those who, by the looks of things, expect to enjoy special privileges and treatment on B92 programs.