ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Office on Friday forwarded an open letter to the president of the Croatian Journalists' Society (HND), Dragutin Lucic, in which it expressed concern about, the office said,
unacceptable occurrences in the Croatian media.
ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - The Croatian President's Office on Friday
forwarded an open letter to the president of the Croatian
Journalists' Society (HND), Dragutin Lucic, in which it expressed
concern about, the office said, unacceptable occurrences in the
Croatian media. #L#
The letter signed by the office secretary, Zeljko Bagic, especially
drew attention to a poll published in the latest issue of the Globus
daily in which citizens voted about whether they agreed with a
statement that "(Prime Minister) Racan and (President) Mesic
should end up like (the assassinated Serbian PM) Djindjic because
this is the only salvation option for Croatia".
As many as 11.8 percent of those questioned agreed with the claim
which, according to Bagic, "clearly implies a call for the murder of
the president and prime minister". The same number of voters did not
know how to reply to the question.
Unless something is done, "the publishing of a call for murder" will
become a normal and generally accepted occurrence in the Croatian
media, the president's office says.
It warns about the established practice which is contrary to
professional ethics, that the nationality and even religion of
perpetrators of various misdemeanours, crimes and even war crimes,
are being published, except in cases when Croats are involved.
"In a time when the wounds of the recent wars have not yet healed and
when the normalisation of relations in the area of the ex-
Yugoslavia is a still ongoing process, such actions are none other
than an invitation to continue national and religious divisions and
instigation to intolerance towards other peoples and religions.
The fact that somebody stole, inflicted injuries or killed has
nothing to do with that person's nationality of which church he
prays in," says the letter.
The president's office believes that the HND should consider
introducing a ban on information about the nationality and religion
of people covered by the media, whatever the context may be, as well
as a ban on inciting the physical liquidation of any person
"notwithstanding the textual wrapping of the incitement".
(hina) lml sb