Earlier in the day Split County Court investigating judge Neven Cambi ordered that the former editor of the Split-based Slobodna Dalmacija daily be arrested based on an order from the Hague war crimes tribunal.
On 9 September the Hague tribunal charged Jovic with contempt of court for making public the identity and testimony of a protected witness in the trial of former Bosnian Croat military commander Tihomir Blaskic.
Lawyer Vinko Ljubicic said he was surprised by the arrest warrant and announced a prompt appeal. The deadline for filing an appeal is 48 hours.
The tribunal issued a warrant for Jovic's arrest after he failed to appear in The Hague to enter a plea on contempt charges. The Split County Court received the arrest warrant on Wednesday.