ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - The main reason for Croatia's fall on the list of countries ranked by their respect for media freedoms is the planting of a bomb under the car of Ninoslav Pavic, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which compiled
the list, has said.
ZAGREB, Oct 21 (Hina) - The main reason for Croatia's fall on the
list of countries ranked by their respect for media freedoms is the
planting of a bomb under the car of Ninoslav Pavic, Reporters
Without Borders (RSF), which compiled the list, has said. #L#
The head of the international organisation's European division,
Sorya Blackmann, told Hina over the telephone on Tuesday the
opinion of freedom of the media in Croatia was made on the basis of
answers three people from the country submitted to an RSF
questionnaire.
Blackmann said the Pavic bombing had brought Croatia many negative
points as the RSF connected it with Pavic's publishing activity.
Pavic was the co-owner of the Europapress Holding publishing
company. A bomb was planted under his car in March.
Declining to reveal the three Croatian sources based on whose
opinions the RSF assessed media freedoms in the country, Blackmann
said they were one journalist, one lawyer, and a member of an NGO.
Other reasons for Croatia's tumble from last year's 33rd to this
year's 69th place include legal changes limiting the possibility of
criticising politicians and the easier criminal prosecution of
journalists.
Blackmann said the RSF found those changes surprising since it
considered Croatia an example for other Balkan countries.
In the RSF report for 2003, Croatia ranks better only than Serbia-
Montenegro, which was placed 85th, among the countries of the
region.
Albania was ranked 34th, Bosnia-Herzegovina 37th, Macedonia 51st,
and Slovenia 20th.
(hina) ha