The latest announcement by the Minister of Information and Telecommunications, Dejan Ristić, is shameful and shows a level of deep misunderstanding of the concept of preserving freedom of speech and advocacy for the safety of journalists, and opens the way to further persecution and endangering the safety of journalist Tamara Skrozza.
In today’s announcement, the Minister dared to teach a lesson to the press associations and Tamara Scrozza, and to do the same as the tabloids and tabloid television with a national license – to read the words that were not spoken and interpret them in their own way. In the statement, the Minister did not refer to the blatant lies that were published in Novosti, Informer, Pink and other tabloid media, which is why journalists and media associations called on him yesterday to react and implement the laws that are under the jurisdiction of the ministry he leads. Proof that colleague Skrozza did not say what was imputed to her is the fact that none of the viewers, nor the competent authorities, reacted when the show “If I Were Someone” was broadcast (June 4, 2024), that is, two months ago. All this suggests that what is actually happening is an organized smear campaign that is now spreading to other media professionals as well. This is confirmed by the latest article in the Informer about Professor Rade Veljanovski, who provided support to a threatened colleague, and unspoken words calling for the assassination of President Vučić are put into his mouth.
In the statement, the Minister interprets the statements made in the media for the second time and concludes that it is “hate speech” and “incitement to violence”. Let us remind you that less than a month ago, the Minister initiated proceedings against the Zrenjanin KTV, again due to the tabloid interpretation of the statement in the program broadcast on this television. Contrary to what he promised at the meetings with journalist and media associations, which is to advocate for professional journalism and the preservation of information in the public interest, the Minister openly defends tabloid journalism, whose editorial concept is based on disobeying the rules of the profession, and stifles any decent critical thought.
In less than a hundred days since he has been in office, the Minister has shown that his views are deeply opposed to the goal outlined in the Media Strategy Improved public information system through a harmonized positive legal framework that guarantees freedom of expression, freedom of the media, safety of journalists, media pluralism, developed media market, a strengthened journalistic profession, an educated citizenry and institutions capable of implementing regulations. In the past period, everything that was done by the competent authorities that were supposed to ensure a contribution to this goal was done contrary to that goal (Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media adopted regulations that are not in accordance with the Law on Electronic Media, abuses in the field of project co-financing continued and raised to a new level with the participation of the competent ministries in that, chases of journalists, physical attacks and serious death threats continued without serious results in the investigations of the same).
For this reason, we believe that the resignation of the Minister would be a moral act because he has shown that he is not up to the task entrusted to him.
Journalists’ associations, signatories of this announcement, who have been invited to a previously arranged meeting with the minister on Friday, August 2, 2024, will take advantage of the live opportunity to criticize the latest shameful moves.
The Coalition for Media Freedom: the Association of Media, the Association of Online Media (AOM), the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Business Association of Local and Independent Media “Local Press”, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation and Branch Trade Union of Culture, Arts and Media ‘Nezavisnost’
Belgrade, July 31, 2024