RADIO FREE EUROPE/RADIO LIBERTY, PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

RFE/RL (Un)Civil Societies Vol. 1, No. 4, 8 June 2000

"Freedom of information is ... the touchstone of all the freedoms." (UN Freedom of Information Conference, 1948)

CROATIA

FRENCH JOURNALIST HELD IN ZAGREB. "Reporters without Borders" on 1 June protested to Croatian President Stipe Mesic the continued detention of Laszlo Liszka, a French reporter of Hungarian origin held in Zagreb since 18 February pending extradition to Budapest. Liszka, author of a book, "Carlos Safe behind the Iron Curtain," (1992) alleging that the Hungarian police provided haven to the international terrorist Carlos, was sentenced in 1998 to a two-year prison term for fiscal fraud. Colleagues assert that Liszka's assertions in his book were the real reason for the charges. (Reporters Without Borders Press Release, 1 June)

SERBIA

BELGRADE ACCUSES NATO OF WAGING A MEDIA WAR AGAINST YUGOSLAVIA... F

ederal Information Minister Goran Matic said on 30 May that a media war against Yugoslavia is being conducted from outside the country through global world media under the control of NATO and its allies as well as from within through a media fifth column. Matic's statement, reported by the state- controlled daily "Politika," claimed that the British and American governments were behind this campaign, which had established a special body to organize and finance media within Yugoslavia to destabilize, manipulate, and interfere in the country's internal affairs. Elements of these enemy activities, said the minister, included the establishment of self-proclaimed independent media and broadcasts in Serbian via satellite and shortwave radio from neighboring countries. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

...AND SAYS INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS SIDING WITH YUGOSLAVIA'S ENEMIES.

Yugoslav Information Minister Goran Matic on 30 May also accused the secretary-general of the International Journalists Federation, Aiden White, of "giving instructions and support to the so-called independent Serbian media in order to complement with NATO propaganda in the covering up of crimes in Yugoslavia," the SRNA news agency reports. "The heroic people of Serbia and Yugoslavia know who supports them and who imposes embargoes, kills women and children, destroys bridges and buildings, and who wants to serve NATO and the USA," reads Matic's letter to White. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

INDEPENDENT MEDIA FIGHT BACK.

The Independent Association of Serbian Journalists on 1 June published its second compilation of cases of anti-media repression. The booklet contains a summary of all repressive measures taken by the Serbian government against independent media in March and April this year and an analysis of state and pro-regime media coverage of recent events in the country. Association representatives emphasized that the government media had again been "typical purveyors of government policy," but had now also been transformed into "spiritual creators and alter egos of the regime," and spread hate speech and intimidation.

'BLIC' TO PRESS CHARGES FOR DISRUPTION OF PROPERTY.

The president of the daily "Blic's" administrative committee, Borivoje Pajovic, announced on 31 May that the paper would press charges for disruption of property over the removal of its neon sign from the roof of the Beogradjanka building. The daily would also bring charges against the printing firm Borba for its failure to honor a contract to print "Blic." "They haven't even returned our neon sign," said Pajovic, adding that this was unlawful confiscation of property. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

MEDIA FINES REMAIN FAVORITE GOVERNMENT TACTIC.

A Belgrade magistrate on 27 May fined the daily "Danas" a total of 570,000 dinars under the Public Information Act. The paper was convicted on charges brought by Deputy Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Seselj over a 24 May article titled, "Lilic demands urgent dismissal of Serbian Radical Party leader." Danas Editor in Chief Grujica Spasovic told Radio B2-92 today that this was the third time Seselj had brought charges against the paper, but today he had actually appeared in court for the first time. If Seselj had cared about the truth, added Spasovic, he would have sued Lilic directly and not used the Public Information Act. Danas has to date been convicted seven times under the Public Information Act and fined a total of 2.2 million dinars . . . Serbian private and independent media were fined a total of 2,230,000 dinars in the past month, the vice president of the Independent Association of Serbian Journalists, Dragan Banjac, said on 30 May at its monthly protest meeting in Belgrade. During May, Studio B was fined three times and weekly "Vreme" and the dailies "Blic" and "Danas" once each. Association official Filip Mladenovic told protesters that "when Serbia becomes a legal state," the media would seek recompense of the fines paid under the 'unconstitutional' Public Information Act . . . Belgrade weekly "NIN" and Editor-in-Chief Stevan Niksic were also fined a total of 230,000 dinars under the Public Information Act. The magistrate convicted Niksic and the magazine on charges brought by gynecologist Milos Ognjevic, who alleged that his honor and reputation had been damaged by an article published last year under the title "A cry for the unborn." (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

JOURNALIST STILL IN CUSTODY.

The president of the Nis military court, Vukadin Milojevic, announced on 1 June that Miroslav Filipovic, the Kraljevo correspondent for France Press and "Danas," will remain in custody for a further 30 days while the investigation of charges against him continue. Filipovic was arrested on 8 May this year, charged with espionage and disseminating false information. According to the defense, Filipovic may be detained only until 18 June. The next day, the Federal Ministry of Information notified France Press that Miroslav Filipovic was not accredited as a foreign journalist. The letter implied that because his documents were not in order, and he was presumably being paid unofficially from a hostile country, his situation was very suspicious. "Why would such a prominent world news agency use an illegal source?" asked Zivadinovic. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

REUTERS CORRESPONDENT RELEASED...

Reuters Belgrade correspondent Julijana Mojsilovic was released from custody this evening. She was detained on 27 May with 10 others when they attempted to visit Otpor activist Momcilo Veljkovic in prison. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

...WHILE OTHER REPORTERS ARE ARRESTED, RELEASED.

On 29 May, police detained Milos Maslaric, the head of an independent TV station in Belgrade, who was later interrogated at the local police station. He refused to take part in an inventory of the station's equipment and warned police that the station was the property of the Mladenovac City Assembly. Police then took Maslaric to the station. Meanwhile, they forced entry to the premises, changed the studio's locks and sealed the building. TV Mladenovac, a subsidiary of Studio B, stopped broadcasting on 17 May on police orders. Predrag Cokic, president of the Mladenovac Municipal Assembly, described these police actions as an attack on public and city property, adding this was another attack on the independent media and unnecessary as he would have given the police the keys had they requested them. The town's local opposition described the break in at the already-banned station, surrounded by police cordons for days, as further abuse of the constitution. On 30 May, Krusevac police apprehended Miroljub Arsic, correspondent for the Montenegrin daily "Vijesti;" he was released after two hours' interrogation. Some three weeks ago Arsic had received anonymous telephone threats advising him not to leave his house. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

FURTHER COURT ACTION AGAINST MEDIA OUTLETS.

Two hearings were held in Novi Pazar on 27 May on charges against the editor of "Sandzacke novine," Amir Numanovic, brought under the Public Information Act. The receivership manager of the Collective Farm in Tutin had filed charges due to an article published last year in "Sandzacke novine." The weekly's editor told Beta that the next hearing was scheduled for 15 June, while the other charge by Slavko Petrovic had been dismissed as unjustified (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June). Meanwhile, a hearing of the latest charges against the Belgrade daily "Danas" was adjourned until 2 June because of the funeral today of the paper's co- founder, Nikola Burzan. The original charges were brought by Zrenjanin District Public Prosecutor Risto Davidovic, who claims that his rights were infringed upon in a 19 May article titled "The officials say you have come in vain." The Third Municipal Court on 1 June heard a case brought by ANEM against the Republic of Serbia for disruption of property in the Beogradjanka business offices. Magistrate Savo Mickovic adjourned the hearing until 15 June, although the court has still not ruled on an application by ANEM for a temporary order allowing it use of its leased premises. The Belgrade Commercial Court has also heard an application from ANEM which demanded that the new management of Studio B meet its obligation under the valid contracts with ANEM. Judge Milojka Zekovic rejected an application for a temporary order and ruled that the case should be heard in the Belgrade Higher Commercial Court. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

INDEPENDENT RADIO SIGNALS JAMMED.

Belgrade's Radio Indeks has been inaudible in most of Belgrade since 9 p.m. on 27 May. Listeners tuning in for the station's main evening news bulletin instead heard trumpet music. Indeks Editor in Chief Aleksandar Vasic told Radio B2-92 that another signal was drowning out Indeks but that the source had not been confirmed. Earlier this evening Otpor activists had called on Belgraders to put speakers in their windows and play Radio Indeks news loudly across the city at 9 p.m.

RADIO 021 SIGNAL JAMMED.

The signal of Novi Sad Radio 021, which has been rebroadcasting news from Radio B2-92, has been disrupted since 28 May, according to many listeners. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

WHILE TV PANCEVO LICENSE EXPIRES.

TV Pancevo's Ministry of Telecommunications contract to use Channel 37 expired on 1 June. The ministry had not yet responded to the station's applications for contract renewal in March, the editor in chief said. TV Pancevo is the last remaining non-regime television station whose signal can be received in Belgrade. TV Pancevo was denounced in late May by Federal Telecommunications Minister Ivan Markovic. Meanwhile, TV Pancevo is expected to continue operating without a valid frequency license. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

PAPER SUPPLIES CUT TO INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS IN BELGRADE...

Belgrade daily "Glas javnosti" had to reduce its number of pages in late May because only half the required amount of paper has been supplied by the only domestic newsprint manufacture, the Sremska Mitrovica firm Matroz. "Blic" Editor-in-Chief Slavoljub Kacarevic told Beta today that Matroz had reduced the supply of newsprint from ten to five tons a day, citing technical problems at the factory. "It's possible that they'll send us none at all tomorrow," said Kacarevic, adding that "Glas javnosti" had exhausted its paper stocks and was not permitted to import paper. Matroz Director Dragan Lazic said on 31 May that he expected deliveries to be normalized by the week's end. "We have cut supplies to all our customers," said Lazic. The Belgrade daily, "Danas" on 2 June informed readers it had been forced to increase its price and reduce the number of pages. This decision was explained by the drastic fines imposed under the Public Information Act and a lack of paper. "Danas" also disclosed unofficial information that Yugoslavia's only newsprint manufacturer, Matroz, had suspended paper production yesterday "because of problems with paper production machinery." It was expected that production would resume during the day. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

...AND IN NIS.

The Nis daily "Narodne novine" failed to appear at newsstands on 1 June. Printing house Prosveta in Nis did not print the edition, explaining it had no paper if the Nis daily did not settled its debt of 300,000 dinars.

ANEM STILL DENIED ACCESS TO LEASED PREMISES IN BEOGRADJANKA.

Staff and lawyers of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) are still unable to gain access to its premises and equipment in the Beogradjanka building, two weeks after the seizure of Studio B. The premises are still blocked by police "until further notice," although these premises have no connection with Studio B. ANEM leased the premises from the Department for Business Premises of the City of Belgrade. (ANEM Weekly Report, 27 May-2 June)

REVERSING ETHNIC CLEANSING -- OF KOSOVO'S LIBRARIES.

The International Federation of Library Associations estimates that at least $6.7 million will be needed to rescue Kosova's libraries, damaged by a decade of neglect and a year and a half of fighting. It says most of the books that survived are either outdated or irrelevant to locals because of their language or subject matter. The association's report, which was just made public, says that Serbian authorities followed a systematic policy of destroying Albanian-language literature. The authors, two Scandinavian library experts, based their report on a survey they conducted earlier this year in libraries throughout Kosova. The report says some 100,000 books in Albanian belonging to the National and University Library were destroyed between 1991 and 1995, in what the authors describe as a "process of ethnic cleansing." They say this process also occurred in almost all public libraries in Kosova during the 1990s. The torching of libraries in Kosovar Albanian communities during the fighting in 1998 and 1999 was the culmination of a long policy, it said. As a result, the survey says, "a large share of local public and school libraries need total reconstruction of buildings and collections." Last autumn, the National and University Library of Kosova (sponsored by the Kosova Foundation for an Open Society), conducted its own survey and found that two-thirds of Kosova's 180 libraries had been "annihilated" between 1990 and 1999. Over 900,000 books--or almost half of all library books in Kosova--had been destroyed. The report also call unfounded the controversial accusations made last year by the Belgrade daily "Glas Javnosti," which alleged that Kosovar Albanians had destroyed at least four Serbian libraries and burned 2 million Serbian books. The Scandinavian authors insist that Kosova's public libraries never contained 2 million Serbian books. ("RFE/RL Balkan Report," 2 June 2000)

KOUCHNER SHUTS DOWN ALBANIAN-LANGUAGE DAILY.

UN police and KFOR soldiers occupied the Prishtina offices of the daily "Dita" on 3 June. Kouchner ordered the newspaper temporarily closed down because it published an article in April alleging that Serbian UN worker Petar Topoljski committed atrocities against Kosovars during the 1999 conflict. UN officials have suggested that there was a link between the article and the murder of Topoljski in May (see "RFRE/RL Newsline," 18 May 2000). A spokeswoman for Kouchner stressed that persons seeking justice must use the legal system and not take the law into their own hands, AP reported. "Dita's" publisher Behlul Beqaj, who is a long- standing political adviser to Kosovar leader Hashim Thaci, argued that the paper published "facts" and that "if we cover up the facts, we will provoke more hatred." Beqaj stressed journalists have a "moral, professional, and national responsibility" to present evidence against "criminals," dpa reported. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 5 June)

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