ZAGREB, Feb 4 (Hina) - The editor of "Imperijal", Domagoj Margetic, was arrested at his home at 10 a.m. on Friday and taken into custody, the weekly's executive director, Rok Vuletic, said in a statement. The statement says Margetic
was placed under arrest on account of a lawsuit former premier Zlatko Matesa filed against him for statements given to the media two years ago. In those statements, Margetic accused Matesa of abusing power and position for personal gain. He claimed Matesa and his government had demanded kickbacks in contracting major infrastructure projects with foreign consortiums such as Enron, Bechtel, and Bouygues. Margetic intended to publish evidence corroborating his claims in "Imperijal's" February 14 issue, Vuletic said in the statement. His arrest "raises founded suspicion that former authority officials still have influence which they use to prevent the telling of truth about their dishonourable deed
ZAGREB, Feb 4 (Hina) - The editor of "Imperijal", Domagoj Margetic,
was arrested at his home at 10 a.m. on Friday and taken into custody,
the weekly's executive director, Rok Vuletic, said in a statement.
The statement says Margetic was placed under arrest on account of a
lawsuit former premier Zlatko Matesa filed against him for
statements given to the media two years ago.
In those statements, Margetic accused Matesa of abusing power and
position for personal gain. He claimed Matesa and his government
had demanded kickbacks in contracting major infrastructure
projects with foreign consortiums such as Enron, Bechtel, and
Bouygues.
Margetic intended to publish evidence corroborating his claims in
"Imperijal's" February 14 issue, Vuletic said in the statement. His
arrest "raises founded suspicion that former authority officials
still have influence which they use to prevent the telling of truth
about their dishonourable deeds from the recent past."
"We are embittered by the fact that the new authorities too are
arresting journalists who openly write the truth about similar
cases," Vuletic said.
"Imperijal" editor-in-chief Velimir Bujanec told Hina today there
had been no reason to arrest Margetic. It need not have happened
because Margetic had not received a court hearing summons, he said,
pointing out Margetic would have appeared in court.
Interior Ministry spokesman Slavko Rako told Hina Margetic was
arrested on the basis of a court order. Bujanec said an arrest order
for Margetic had existed for over a year.
"The documents at our disposal will prove that Matesa is the one who
should be in prison, and not the journalist who will expose him,"
said Bujanec.
He added the head of the prison Margetic was detained in did not let
him see Margetic this morning, and that prison guards even
physically threatened "Imperijal" journalists.
"They even arrested me and kept me in custody half an hour, but then
let me go," Bujanec said. "I believe it is bad for the reputation of
the new democratic authorities that they are continuing (former
ruling party) HDZ's tradition and are arresting journalists,"
Bujanec said.
(hina) ha