“It sounds great, but I wonder whether we slept through some years and only now woke up, heard the speech and started asking how wonderful it is. These are all just empty phrases. Everything she says… The fact that she leads that institution says a lot about the EU, which lacks leadership and seems disoriented,” Croatian Journalists’ Association President Hrvoje Zovko told N1, commenting on the speech by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who said the EU would help media remain free and independent because otherwise crime and corruption thrive in darkness.
“We have been saying everything she is saying for years, warning about problems. We have long advocated for proper media funding and for a sufficient fund that would improve the position of journalism. We have been talking for years about the position of local media,” Zovko said.
Asked about the situation in Serbia and the case involving recordings of conversations between Telekom’s director and United Group, which, he said, illustrate how Serbia’s president operates, how the system functions, how public money is handled and how private business is used, Zovko stated:
“This case involving United Group shows that Aleksandar Vučić is in a phase where he does not choose his words, insults or threats toward those who criticise his rule. He came to power 13 years ago, prepared for it his whole life and will not give it up peacefully. He has subdued all institutions and media except Nova.rs, Danas, N1 and perhaps a few others. He constantly targets colleagues who have proven over the past year how important independent and free journalism is. Our colleagues are physically attacked every day. Recently, on Pink TV, he said he knew an ‘earthquake’ would happen and that some journalists would lose their jobs by the end of the year.”
When asked whether he expects such developments, the HND president said that when it comes to Serbia and Vučić, anything is possible.
“Some statements coming from Croatia sound as if they were commissioned for him, because he constantly claims that Croatia is trying to destabilise Serbia. The fact that his brother appeared at protests shouting ‘Ustaše, Ustaše’ shows that this is the regime’s last line of defence. With Vučić, everything is possible, and if he decides to take revenge on or destroy a media outlet, he will try to do so at any cost. Yet at the same time we have Ms von der Leyen praising him… Let us not forget that she visited Serbia just a week before the tragic collapse of the canopy in Novi Sad and cited it as an example of the rule of law.”
Asked about United Group, which owns media outlets in Croatia, including the most-watched commercial TV station, and whether the stance heard in those recordings could also affect Croatian media, Zovko replied:
“Of course it could. We have already heard accusations that media are waging hybrid wars and being lectured on how and what to report. What is happening now in a country outside the EU, ruled by an autocrat, could happen here as well. I would not bet that it could not happen to us tomorrow or that we do not have people who would like to impose total darkness on our society. It is nice that we are an EU member state, but that has also led to a radicalisation of society, with some believing that monitoring is no longer needed and that anything is allowed because no one can hold us accountable. What is happening in the neighbourhood could happen here too. I hope it will not, but it would not surprise me if it did. We have witnessed many things already, and who can guarantee it will not happen to us?”
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