SARAJEVO, 17.04.2018.-Taking into consideration that advertising in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been defined through various set of laws (Law on Consumer Protection, Law on Communication, Trade Law, Law on Food, Law on the Restricted Use of Tobacco Products, Law on Medicaments, Law on the Ban on Advertising) and regulations under the competence of the Communication Regulatory Agency of (BiH) (The Code on Commercial Communications), the passing of the Law on Advertising has emerged as necessary and required tool. However, passing this Law (Law on Advertising) shall not sort out numerous problems regarding the further destruction of media and advertising market field in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Comparing with advertising markets in neighboring countries, commercial advertising market in BiH is still considered vastly undeveloped. Bearing in mind that there is a significant number of media houses in BiH that compete with each other, in order to receive modest financial budget amounts of money, advertising market in Bosnia and Herzegovina is hence often referred to as “the little pond with too many crocodiles around”. Specificity of transitional countries is seen through the weak development of the advertising structure in the market, with TV commercial advertising still dominating in this particular field and BiH is no exception here. There are many reasons why media and commercial advertising market in BiH have been on a decline in BiH, comparing to neighboring countries. One of the biggest problems in the process of media development of media industry is the unsolved problem and issue of commercial advertising in media programs from neighboring countries that re-broadcast their program through cable, satellite and IPTV signal, which altogether results in budget reducing of the international advertisers in BiH media market. According to official information of audience measurement (from March 2017) implemented on the entire population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the total share of viewership of local TV stations in total viewership is less than 50%, while the share of local TV stations for specific target groups that represent most interesting groups to international commercial advertisers is merely 40% (Information source: Audience Measurement doo.). If we make a comparison here, the information regarding the audience viewership of TV stations in neighboring markets, the domination of local TV stations is very obvious. According to official audience measurement (also from March 2017) in the Republic of Croatia, the total share of local TV stations viewership in total viewership scope is more than 80% (Information source: AGB Nielsen).

First entities were among the first to experience the reduced money flow from commercial advertising in Bosnia and Herzegovina were printed media houses. Apart from this problem, they also faced declined public buying power. Due to significant diversity and different interests in the segmented media market in BiH, the decline had thus become evident in other media branches as well. In an unequal market competition of media houses in BiH, the commercial advertising prices displayed a key factor with companies as far as decision making of the budget dispersing system is concerned, and this budget was on a decline from year to year.

Due to the lack of required and necessary financial means, journalist and other media staff decide to accept very poor working conditions which results in a poor quality of media reporting and production of media contents, creating thus media dependability from wide political influences. The survival on the market of a great number of media houses, as a result of a decreased incomes deriving from commercial advertising, has been conditioned by editing deference by political and business officials at the state, Entity or local governing levels. Media houses should promote a pluralism of opinions, instead of being used as a mean of their owners whose main goal is profit making. The way present media houses fulfill their democratic role depends mainly on economic and political factors that shape media environment and media market.

In order to avoid the situation where media houses work less for the general public interest and work more for the interest of certain political and economic lobbies, it is crucial to pass the law that would, (to some extent), separate interests of media entrepreneurs (owners) from media contents, political interests and ties with media owners with different lobbies. Unlike developed media markets where liberal business derived from respecting and obeying legal procedures and market rules, the case in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been quite different.

Local media houses should, as part of the Regulatory framework, promote media independence and economic efficiency. Media business operations control and the implementation of fair – based rules by the competition and commercial advertising rules, is indeed necessary in order to establish the balance between media pluralism and free media market.

There are unregulated occurrences in the media market, including vertical integration between media and other associated commercial advertising market parties, distribution networks or telecommunication operators. Lack of warranties, as far as the ownership transparency over media houses and other associated commercial advertising market parties is concerned, which disabled the review regarding the nature of the relationships and their influence on media houses integrity. Legal provisions limiting foreign ownership over media houses turn out to be inefficient in this particular case as well.

Passing the set of laws and regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina does not necessarily mean their implementation and application at once. There are many cases in reality to support this thesis. One of these cases include the case of ignoring and disrespecting the decision passed by the Competition Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the duties and obligations of owners of specialized sport TV channels „Sport Club “to ensure and allow other TV channels to operate under same conditions, which resulted in an unequal positions of other parties involved in this process, thus creating and encouraging illegal competition in this market area.

The question of transparency of ownership and regulation of eventual integrations, between media houses and other associated commercial advertising market parties (commercial advertising agencies, research agencies for audience viewership measuring, including viewership on radio and internet websites), distribution networks or telecommunication operators, represents the key and crucial issues here, especially during the period where media houses owners (entrepreneurs) hide behind various offshore companies registered abroad. Therefore, there is a significant possibility of con- flicts of interest occurring in BiH in this particular field, including many frauds in media and commercial advertising market field deriving as a result.

Although the aim of the Strategy of transfer from analogue to digital ground radio diffusion that had been accepted and passed was to provide minimum 85% of the population in BiH to 1 Oct 2011, with digitally revived ground TV signal, Bosnia and Herzegovina still remained as the only country where the process of digitalizing has not been completed yet.

The persistence of public broadcasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached its critical stage considering that there has not been political will in order to find the solution for stable financing. The situation for public broadcasters in many ways define the general situation in the market and media freedoms and liberties. The decision passed by the CRA Council from September 2013, regarding the passing of the amendments of Codes on commercial communications, displayed an outstanding sample, regarding this particular issue. By passing this Decision, the Regulator (CRA) was allowed to reduce the time limit for commercial advertising use (during the programs broadcasted by public services) from six to four minutes per hour.

Despite the fact that the third, rather disputable decision was amended during 2014, looking at the long-term perspective, the decision had already caused vast financial and business damages to both, public broadcasting services and entire media and commercial advertising market in BiH. Taking into consideration that during the period of decision passing by the CRA, the income (money) deriving from the tax fee payment was also significantly reduced in BiH, this represented the end of unstable financial sustainability and self – sustainability of public broadcasting services. The Decision passed under suspicious circumstances by the owners of certain commercial TV stations and accepted by some also, suspicious members of the CRA Council, favored mainly the above-mentioned media houses owners.

Owners of certain commercial TV stations, at the same time, the owners of particular commercial advertising agencies, had, by this Decision (passed by the CRA Council), been able to additionally reduce the commercial advertising prices in BiH media market. This enabled them to take over the commercial advertisers’ budget means from public broadcasting services. For the period of last three years, this created the loss of profit from total incomes with public broadcasting services by approximately BAM 15.0 million and caused further decline of the commercial advertising market in BiH, considering the deflation of commercial advertising prices.

One of the most notable problems in the process of the development of media industry is the complete absence of support by the state – level institutions regarding the development of infrastructure of media and commercial advertising industry in BiH. Parties in the media field in BiH are left on their own, bearing in mind that there have been absolutely no encouragements and stimulations for the local and domestic industry. Communications Regulatory Agency (RAK) returns millions to the budget and this amount is designated as extra money with media houses making a significant contribution to this, but there is no political will to re-direct this amount for the development of media industry. For instance, in Croatia, there is Fund for Media Pluralism which is supervised by the Agency for Electronic Media.

With BiH application for European Union full membership, we hope to receive a candidate status in the near future and hope that this should create certain positive feedback on media market in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This text is a part of E-Bulletin– fifth edition of special serial of BHN online bulletin implemented through the “Media and Public Reputation” (origin. “Mediji i javni ugled”) project, also representing a contribution to public debate regarding the transparency of media ownership and upholding and encouraging the passing of set of laws aimed to advance media field and information market in BiH.

Zenica, 16.04.2018. – Local media mostly dependt on budget funding, which also affect their (not) dependence, or (not) favoring certain political parties. Financing, including the election of the administration and editorial staff, unfortunately, are the main factor for the influence of key „political players“ in to the local community. For a example, RTV Zenica, we analyze the influence of the authorities, and in which measure the editor and journalists are free to work. The budget for 2018 is the annual amount of 324,000 KM or EUR 166,154 for the financing of this media service, that is monthly 27,000 KM or EUR 13,850 . This budget is the same as in 2017, while in 2016 the amount was slightly higher at the annual level of 384,000 KM or EUR 196,923, which was about 40% of the annual revenue of this public company. After the local elections in 2016 and the arrival of an independent mayor on the head of the city of Zenica, pressures in the form of non-payment monthly tranches affected on replacement the former director RTV Zenica and Supervisory board. And than the mayor selected a new employees of this media.

On the question, addressed to several city councilors, about the affection of local media in Zenica / above all RTV Zenica / political parties prof. dr Spahija Kozlic / SDA / former journalist, editor-in-chief of the media company, believes that the fall in objectivity in radio and television programs has been evident over the past year.

–  I am very sorry about this, because I have educated a considerable number of journalists, both in the journalistic processing of events or topics, as well as in the objectivity and impartiality of the journalistic profession. I’m saying this because on several occasions I was exposed to attacks, threats and pressures, especially by the politicians who at that time had power in Zenica and Zenica-Doboj Canton. In the programs of  RTV Zenica this year promotes and uncritically displays the rule of one man, mayor Fuad Kasumović.

This view is easily verifiable by the simplest analysis of informative news lately. They start with information about the daily activities of the mayor. These are the most common releases of tertiary news that don’t deserve to be on the show, and not at all on the top of news. In this way, this media accuses a man in whose hands is a power not to pay the monthly tranche for the work of this media, and this is sad. On the other hand, the criticism of the work of the current government in Zenica can not pass. It is also unfortunate that the attacks on Zenica journalists by the mayor of Kasumović remained almost unplanned, and whether the journalists themselves stood up in defense of their colleagues. That was not the case before.

On the other hand, Mladen Simić / SDP BiH / party councilor, who in previous years was mainly in opposition, thinks that TV Zenica has been serving SDA for decades.

– Since the arrival of an independent mayor, the situation has changed, Simić believes, and city councilor Ekrem Tuka / SBB Fahrudin Radončić / parties that until recently in the coalition with the SDA had a majority in the city council thinks that each political party necessarily has “its own media” and that RTV Zenica has so far been sympathetic to the political party in power in the local community.

–  Since last year, staffing changes are  in progress, which will be in favor of other policies which are in power in our local community. Considering, this is a local media that mainly informs citizens about the situation in the city, local communities, work and activities of the city administration, this affection and cooperation is acceptable and logical. In all media, journalists work professionally their job, regardless of editorial policy and affection to political parties of the media company, said Ekrem Tuka, who was a minister in the Government of Zenica – Doboj Canton, and now city councilor.

Local media are in favor of the current government

In the local elections in 2016, a new political party was appear, called Power center, which won six mandates in the City council Zenica. This party was co-operating with the SDA, which with their votes, had a majority before recently, along with several other parties / SDPBiH, DF and SBB Fahrudin Radončić / formed a new majority that “corresponds” to the independent mayor.

  Adnan Šabani / The power of the center / believes that the local media is in favor of the current government, respectively, in those who fund them.

– In our country and in the region (recently there was a protest in Belgrade, the opposition protested in front of the RTS because of “political darkness” we can say that this is quite normal. The media used for their own promotions and like a tool for achieving political goals. To avoid confusion in the entire region and in the world, we know who is at the federal level controlling the media, who is in Republika Srpska, we know who is in print media and where the winds come from, says Šabani.

Budgetary resources in the function of objective information

There are different opinions about the affection of the media to the politicial parties. On the other hand, there are similar opinions about the need for public spending budget money.

– That must be the case with the money that is paid for RTV Zenica, says prof. dr Spahija Kozlić, expressing doubts about the completely vague financial structure during the Miligram group’s engagement for the New Year’s Eve.

– It is known that the organizer was RTV Zenica, but it isn’t known how much it cost and how that money was collected. In city says that it was ordered public companies and institutions to transfer money to RTV Zenica for cover the costs of this event, said prof. dr Kozlić.

– Financial funds allocated from the city budget for the work RTV Zenica are very small compared to needs, and more funds are needed to modernize equipment, improve working conditions and improve the work of this media company, said Ekrem Tuka / SBB Fahrudin Radončić / and Mladen Simić /SDP BiH/ thought that budgetary resources must be justified and in the function of objective information.

We must create a strong media house, if we are talking about RTV Zenica, then surely must be a goal transparency and the desire to create regional television, and at the very least cantonal television. Considering, that it is a public company, it is also logical that the bulk of the budget be allocated to financing this program, thought Adnan Šabani / The Power of the Center /.

As part of this councilor interviewing to make the image of the media service in the local community more complete, there was also a question about the personal observations of the councilors about the programs of this media service in relation to the citizens whose, after all, allocate some of the funds for its financing.

Ekrem Tuka / SBB Fahrudin Radončić / said that in relation to the working conditions and equipment in RTV Zenica, as a citizen, he is satisfied with the program, and that as a city councilor he will advocate that this media house be equipped, modernized and improved, and Mladen Simić / SDP BiH / hopes that the new management and editor will not continue the practice of the SDA, and that all contents will be in the direction of favoring the mayor and his party. Everyone must have equal chances, otherwise none of the objective, transparent and realistic reporting will be present, Simić believes.

Adnan Šabani / The Power of the Center / I will be extremely honest, I do not watch this TV at all! The reason is very simple, there isn’t high quality content and there is nothing that can attract me to watch this program. I hope that the new director Nandino Škrbić will be able to raise the audience and make at least a more attractive television program. Honestly, two televisions I’m watching at home, N1 and AJB, I consider that these media houses report objectively and that the content of their program are good at least informative.

Television Zenica (and Radio Zenica) must make 10 steps in advance in order to reach the competition, increasing their ratings and attracting sponsors considering increasing their mark  eting revenues. If they succeed in choosing to finance their business without the support of the city then the objectivity of reporting will be more and better quality.

On the other side, prof. dr Spahija Kozlić said that as a citizen and a councilor, he is absolutely not satisfied with the reporting RTV Zenica, whether it is the work of the City council, the mayor and the City ddministration or the media monitoring of events. – There is try to send the inaccurate picture that Zenica was in the dark and “Middle ages” by 2016, and that at the end of that year “rescuer” and “visionary”  come to Zenica, to take away this city in Europe. This seems to be a media over simplification of the event, creating similar problems (in the form of finger-pointing in the duty guilty) and blocking any criticism. Of course, the facts that we are witnesses deny everyday such sweetness. Nevertheless, I believe that journalists will be able to gain the courage to counter the pressure coming from the mayor’s office Fuad Kasumović, said Kozlić.

As much as there is plurality in the City council of Zenica / eight political parties and one  representative of national minorities / there are so many different opinions about the tasks and expectations of the local media service. Plurality of councils is not necessary and a guarantee of democracy in decision-making, as the budgetary dependence should not mean space for pressure on the media. But, according to the previous practice that the mayor can at any time, when he does not like reporting, deny the monthly tranche, that pressure is evident. For now, there is no mechanism to protect the medium from distorting funding. This brake becomes also the main tool for the direct or indirect impact on editorial policy and the affection of the one who has the majority, and who is managing the city budget.

This article has been produced as a part of the project Western Balkan’s Regional Platform for advocating media freedom and journalists’ safety with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this article are the sole responsibility of the BH journalists Association and its authors, and can in no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.

BELGRADE, 16. 04.2018. – Serbia’s Ministry of Culture and Information filed charges against four newspapers which published explicit photographs.

The Ministry filed the charges on Thursday against the newspapers for publishing what it said were pornographic pictures.

It specified that charges had been filed against the editors of the Informer, Srpski Telegraf, Alo! and Kurir tabloids for publishing the explicit photographs of participants in a reality show on April 10 and 11 in violation of the laws on public information and the media.

The pictures were first published on April 10 by the Informer tabloid which is known for its support of the current authorities.

The publication of those photographs was immediatelly condemned by two Serbian journalists’ organizations.

BEOGRAD, 16.04.2018. – Veoma je važno da se sva medijska udruženja uključe u izradu Nacrta nove medijske strategije, OEBS će pokušati da posreduje u tom dijalogu kako bi se došlo do najboljih rešenja, a kada prvi nacrt bude izrađen daće svoje komentare, rekao je za N1 predstavnik OEBS-a za slobodu medija Arlem Dezir.

Nakon nedavnog sastanka sa premijerkom Anom Brnabić i predsednikom Aleksandrom Vučićem, Dezir je za N1 rekao da je stekao utisak da je premijerka uverena da u Srbiji postoji potpuna sloboda medija i da je posvećena očuvanju tog cilja, ali je dodao da se u Srbiji ipak, i dalje mora razvijati klima u kojoj postoji medijski pluralizam i balans između različitih mišljenja i stavova.

Dezir je ocenio da je u Srbiji uloga države tradicionalno je vrlo jaka u medijima, kada je reč o vlasničkoj strukturi različitih medija.

“Prethodna medijska strategija predvidela je povlačenje države iz vlasništva, i biće doneta nova Strategija koja će uskoro biti objavljena i mislim da će biti neophodno jasnije definisati koja su to pravila vezana za vlasništvo, transparentnost, finansiranje od strane države, različitih medija, uključujući i one lokalne, ali takođe definisati i regulatorni sistem, ulogu regulatornih agencija, evaluaciju Javnog servisa, njegovo finansiranje ali i nezavisnost što je za nas veoma važno”, rekao je on.

U ovom trenutku kada je, kako kaže, informaciona oblast tako izložena takozvanim lažnim vestima i dezinformacijama, jako je važno podržati profesionale standarde u novinarstvu, i profesionalne medije.

“Nastalo je mnogo novih medija u Srbiji, naročito online medija, i to jeste doprinelo pluralizmu, ali, ponovo imamo pitanje finansiranja tih novih nezavisnih medija. Srbija je zemlja u kojoj postoji veoma široka sloboda izražavanja, ali moramo posebnu pažnju obratiti na diverzitet u kontekstu jačine različitih medija”, rekao je.

Kako kaže, neki mediji su veoma dominantni, na lokalnom ili nacionalnom nivou, sa ponekad jakom finansijskom podrškom koju im direktno ili indirektno pruža država i ima mnogo novih medija, koji su finansijski krhki.

Dezir je rekao da će se OEBS veoma posvetiti i bezbednosti novinara.

“Još uvek, nažalost, imamo pretnje, agresivno ponašanje prema novinarima, što je veoma zabinjavajuće za nas i veoma smo posvećeni tome da bude više poštovanja prema novinarima, koji su po prirodni posla kritični, i razumem da se javne ličnosti ponekad uznemire, ali jako je važno obezbediti sigurnost novinarima i istražiti sve pretnje, uključujući i one koje stižu putem interneta i društvenih mreža”, kazao je.

Nova strategija važna za razvoj medija u budućnosti

On je dodao da je jako važno da ceo proces izrade novog nacrta Medijske strategije bude otvoren jer će ona imati uticaj na čitav razvoj medija u budućnosti.

“Već smo pomenuli finansiranje, regulatorna tela, nezavisnost medija, tako da je apsolutno neophodno da svi ključni akteri, medijske organizacije, novinarska udruženja budu uključena u diskusiju. Mi smo razgovarali sa premijerkom, sa predstavnicima Vlade, predsednikom, medijskim udruženjima. Kao nezavisna međunarodna institucija, mi ćemo analizirati nacrt strategije kada bude zvanično objavljen jer će budućnost medijskih sloboda veoma mnogo zavisiti od kvaliteta te nove Strategije”, kazao je.

On je rekao da još nije video zvanični dokument, ali da je upoznat sa tim koje su teme će biti u fokusu i da mnogo će važnih pitanja, uključujući pitanja vlasništva, finansiranja, privatizacije medija, javnog servisa, biti u fokusu ali ne možemo dati mišljenje dok nemamo zvanični dokument.

“Ono što je vrlo bitno je da se u prvoj fazi se uključe različiti akteri u Srbiji. Medijske asocijacije su se povukle iz radne grupe. Pokušaćemo da pomognemo ako bude moguće da stvorimo uslove za nastavak tog dijaloga. Možda bi došao u obzir drugačiji format tog dijaloga, na primer, više javnih diskusija, ali važno je da se o svakom segmentu, i na tome insistiramo, diskutuje sa različitim Medijskim Asocijacijama i udruženjima”, dodaje.

Govoreći o slučajevima ubistava novinara i napada na novinare u Srbiji koji nisu nisu rešeni ni posle mnogo godina, Dezir je rekao da je važno da država i Vlada vrlo aktivno odbiju i kazne sve vrste napade i ne dozvole da nekažnjeno prođu oni koji napadaju novinare.

“Komisije za istraživanje ubistava novinara je vrlo pozitivna, ali sada Tužilaštvo mora da osigura da se pravdi privedu svi krivci za ubistva novinara. Jer nekažnjavanje je takođe zločin, to je kao podsticanje na nove zločine i napade na novinare. i vidimo i u drugim zemljama u kojima radimo, da su pretnje i dalje veoma izražene iz razičitih razloga. Novinari trpe pretnje, a oni su stub demokratije. Novinarstvo je institucija demokratije koja nema vojsku ili policiju da je zaštiti”, kazao je on.

Uloga države nije da bude glavni akter u proizvodnji vesti

Govoreći o povlačenju države iz vlasništva u medijima, Dezir je rekao da je u slučaju Javnog servisa bilo neophodno osigurati održivo finansiranje, ali i nezavisnost uređivačke politike.

“Javni servis može da doprinese tome da služi kao primer kvalitetnih informacija, pluralizma, nezavisnosti. Osim toga važno je pomoći privatnom medijskom sektoru da razvije svoj diverzitet istim pristupom oglašivačima”, rekao je.
Novinska agencija Tanjug, kaže, trebalo je da bude privatizovana, ali je ostala pod državnom kontrolom, a takve stvari moraju da budu pravno razjašnjene.

“Ne možemo da imamo toliku razliku između zakonodavnog okvira i situacije u praksi. Nije na nama da donesemo odluku šta će i šta neće ostati u domenu države, ali uloga države nije da bude glavni akter u proizvodnji vesti, osim Javnog servisa koji ima svoje obaveze uključujući pristup informacijama nacionalnim manjinama, na primer”, kaže.

Ako je Zakon predvideo privatizaciju, dodaje, država mora da osigura da će privatizacija biti sprovedena i OEBS će posmatrati i to, i konzistentnost između legislative i onoga što se sprovodi u praksi.

“Mediji moraju biti nezavisni od bilo kakve političke moći. Nezavsinost medija znači da oni nisu pod kontrolomm države. Želeo bih da to bude razjašnjeno novom Strategijom”, rekao je predsetavnik OEBS-a.

Politički lideri da obraćaju istu pažnju na sve medije

Komentarišući slučaj Južnih vesti i stalnih poreskih inspekcija, Dezir je rekao da bilo koja vrsta pritisaka prema bilo kom mediju mora da se izbegne.

“Svi oglašivači dolaze na internet platforme, i jako je teško na tržištu kao što je Srbija ako nemate jasna pravila oko oglašavanja da osigurate da male medijske kuće održe svoje mesto u tome”, kazao je i dodao da svako preduzeće treba da poštuje pravila uključujući i poreska, ali da administracija ne sme da vrši suviše veliki pritisak na medije, naročito one male i kao takve ranjive.

Upitan da li se slaže sa ocenom premijerke Ane Brnabić da su mediji u Srbiji u potpunosti slobodni, on je rekao da je sloboda medija garantovana u Srbiji ali da se mora razvijati klima u kojoj postoji medijski pluralizam i balans između različitih mišljenja i stavova i gde je prisutan kvalitet u pristupu finansiranju, oglašavanju i jednakost u pristupu informacijama.

“Mislim da je to takođe jako važno da politički lideri obraćaju istu pažnju na sve medije. Normalno je da postoje razlike u uređivačkim konceptima, ali želeo bih da mediji budu slobodni, da razvijaju svoju ulogu u demokratskom životu i na isti način tretiraju političke lidere, ali i da političari uključujući vlast treba da poštuju sve medije na isti način”, zaključio je.

BEOGRAD, 16.04.2018. – Bomba koja je eksplodirala na prozoru njegovog stana, srećom, nije ostvarila cilj i Dejana Anastasijevića 2007. godine uvrstila na spisak na kojem su Dada Vujasinović, Ćuruvija i Pantić. Ni do danas se ne zna ko je bio organizator, a ko izvršilac napada na tadašnjeg novinara Vremena.

U aprilu 2016. Insajder.netu je rečeno da se „u vezi s ovim događajem predmet nalazi na veštačenju“.

U aprilu prošle godine KRIK-u je odgovoreno da je „postupak još u predistražnoj fazi – fazi prikupljanja dokaza“.

Ovog aprila pak u istom tom Višem tužilaštvu za Cenzolovku, doslovce, navode:

„Predmet se nalazi u predistražnoj fazi i do sada su preduzimane dokazne radnje u smislu vršenja veštačenja i preduzimanja drugih radnji u pravcu identifikacije izvršilaca (ili izvršioca) ovog krivičnog dela.“

Anastasijević je, međutim, prošle godine izrazio sumnju u to da se njegovim slučajem iko više bavi.

„Postupak je zastao u predistražnoj fazi posle, ja mislim, nekoliko nedelja, nakon čega je policija sav prikupljeni materijal poslala u tužilaštvo, i tamo i dan-danas verovatno stoji na dnu neke fioke. Prema mojim najboljim saznanjima, ta fascikla nije ni pipnuta“, kazao je u prošlogodišnjem intervjuu Cenzolovci.

Poslednji put sa policijom razgovarao 2007.

Nakon eksplozije „kašikare“ na prozoru njegovog stana (druga postavljena nije eksplodirala), nekih tri sata nakon što je počeo 14. april 2007, Anastasijević se našao u središtu pažnje kompletnog državnog i policijskog vrha. Tadašnji predsednik republike došao je čak u redakciju Vremena obećavši da će učiniti sve da se slučaj reši.

Poslednji put je sa policijom razgovarao još u leto 2007. godine. Šest meseci nakon što su on i supruga nekako prošli nepovređeni u eksploziji (fragmenti bombe zabili su se na nekoliko mesta u spavaćoj sobi, a  jedan na svega dvadesetak centimetara od njihovih glava), Anastasijević je u svom matičnom listu pokušao da oživi istragu i da joj pruži određena saznanja.

Napisao je da je godinu dana ranije iz Haškog suda upozoren da je lider SRS Vojislav Šešelj „sastavio nekakav spisak potencijalnih svedoka koje bi trebalo eliminisati ili zastrašiti“, te da je na tom spisku i on.

„Spisak je poslao u Beograd po svojoj supruzi Jadranki, pa joj je nakon što je to otkriveno, jedno vreme bilo zabranjeno da posećuje muža. Razlog zbog koga sam se našao na spisku jeste moje svedočenje protiv Slobodana Miloševića 2002. godine, iz koga je deo koji se odnosi na Šešelja tužilaštvo uvrstilo u dokaze protiv vojvode.“

Kao drugu indiciju o mogućim motivima za napad, Anastasijević navodi da su ga početkom oktobra 2007. godine pozvali iz Haškog tribunala i saopštili mu da ga žele kao svedoka protiv Jovice Stanišića.

„Bio sam iznenađen jer Stanišića nikada nisam upoznao, a sve što o njemu znam odavno sam napisao u tekstovima za Vreme. Bio sam još više iznenađen kada su mi rekli da sam na listu svedoka stavljen pre šest meseci (2. aprila) i da je taj spisak još tada dostavljen Stanišićevim braniocima. Na moje pitanje zašto i mene nisu obavestili, dobio sam odgovor da su zaboravili, ’jer je u Tribunalu velika fluktuacija kadrova’. Pitao sam gospodu iz Tribunala i da li imaju boljih svedoka od mene, a rečeno mi je da tu postoji problem, jer je nekoliko ljudi sa te liste naprasno preminulo, dok su drugi odbili da svedoče ili su promenili iskaz.“

Anastasijević, međutim, nije otvoreno optužio Šešelja i Stanišića za organizovanje napada.

„Moram još jednom da naglasim da sve što sam gore izneo jesu činjenice, ali da se ne usuđujem da na osnovu njih tvrdim da Vojislav Šešelj i/ili Jovica Stanišić imaju bilo kakve veze sa bombom na mom prozoru. Optužujem, međutim, organe otkrivanja i gonjenja da nisu smogli volje i hrabrosti da otklone opasnost za mene i moju porodicu. Priznajem da sam bio neprijatno iznenađen nedavnom izjavom ministra Jočića da će moj slučaj teško biti rešen ‘jer nije lako otkriti nešto za šta nema povoda’. Ovim je ministar celu priču sveo na nivo više sile, takoreći elementarne nepogode.“

Šešelj je prošle godine inače odbacio navode da stoji iza pokušaja ubistva Anastasijevića, rekavši:  „Da sam hteo da ubijem Anastasijevića, sigurno bih ga ubio“.

Anastasijević: Nije postojala volja da se slučaj reši

Za to što do danas slučaj nije rasvetljen, Anastasijević, koji je danas deo redakcije BBC-ja na srpskom jeziku, razloge traži u nedostatku političke volje.

„U tekstu koji sam napisao šest meseci nakon toga izneo sam detaljne podatke o tome šta ja mislim da se zapravo desilo i ko bi mogao biti odgovoran. Još pre nego što sam tekst napisao, sve sam to dao policiji, na šta mi je rečeno: ‘Lepo je to, možda si i u pravu, ali mi nemamo dokaza’. Tako da je prosto ostalo na tome. Sve me to navodi na sumnju da, uprkos obećanjima tadašnjeg predsednika Borisa Tadića, jednostavno nije postojala volja da se taj slučaj razreši, niti postoji danas“, rekao je lane za Cenzolovku.