The Croatian Journalists’ Association (CJA) condemns the inciting campaign by pro-government Serbian media against journalist and CJA member Tomislav Kukec, who reported on the student protests in Serbia. The CJA demands that journalists traveling to Serbia to report on the student protests be enabled to work normally.
Informer and Večernje novosti accused our colleague of advising the protesting students and attacking Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, claiming that the two have exposed whose scenario and interests are behind what they call chaos in Serbia. Similar accusations and harassment from Vučić’s media machinery were recently experienced in Serbia by our colleague, Telegram journalist Matej Devčić. Since the large protests began in Serbia, the local authorities and numerous regime media have persistently accused Croatia of being behind them. Because of this, Croatian citizens, including our colleagues, have found themselves in uncomfortable and dangerous situations during visits to Serbia, accused of being Croatian agents.
The CJA demands that journalists traveling to Serbia to report on the student protests be allowed to work normally. We do not accept attempts to intimidate our colleagues, and once again we ask who will be held responsible if, due to the manic reaction of the authorities in Belgrade, something happens to our colleagues.
For the Executive Board of the Croatian Journalists’ Association
Hrvoje Zovko, President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association
Chiara Bilić, Vice President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association
Dragutin Hedl, Vice President of the Croatian Journalists’ Association