SARAJEVO, May 18 (Hina) - The oldest Bosnian daily, "Oslobodjenje", hit the news-stands on Friday although most of its journalists and technical staff went on strike the day before. The journalists of the Sarajevo-based daily, which
was established in 1943, went on strike because the management owes them three salaries for last year whereas the payment of another similar debt from a previous period is not even considered. "The management has not only failed to pay the debt but has cut our March salaries by 20 percent without any explanation," said the president of the daily's workers' union, Antonio Prlenda, stressing Friday's issue had been published by a "small group of the management's yes-men." The daily's director Salko Hasanefendic refused to comment on the strikers' demands while editor-in-chief Mirko Sagolj said that he supported the strike if it would contribute to improving the overall sit
SARAJEVO, May 18 (Hina) - The oldest Bosnian daily, "Oslobodjenje",
hit the news-stands on Friday although most of its journalists and
technical staff went on strike the day before.
The journalists of the Sarajevo-based daily, which was established
in 1943, went on strike because the management owes them three
salaries for last year whereas the payment of another similar debt
from a previous period is not even considered.
"The management has not only failed to pay the debt but has cut our
March salaries by 20 percent without any explanation," said the
president of the daily's workers' union, Antonio Prlenda,
stressing Friday's issue had been published by a "small group of the
management's yes-men."
The daily's director Salko Hasanefendic refused to comment on the
strikers' demands while editor-in-chief Mirko Sagolj said that he
supported the strike if it would contribute to improving the
overall situation in the once powerful media company.
The strikers have also accused the management and the editor-in-
chief of refusing to cooperate and negotiate with them.
Editor-in-chief Sagolj said in Friday's editorial the workers had
refused to carry out their legal obligation to continue publishing
the daily regardless of the strike.
Sagolj said the management was determined to continue publishing
the daily despite the current situation because its reporters and
technicians had worked under much worse conditions during the war.
The strike proves that the daily is in serious crisis. The
"Oslobodjenje" building was seriously damaged at the beginning of
the war, some of its reporters and other staff left the company,
however, those who remained continued publishing the paper which
hit the news-stands every day in the three and a half years Sarajevo
was under siege. However, debts piled up during the war and other
rival papers grew much stronger.
The daily, which received numerous international awards for
courage and professionalism in war, currently has a circulation of
not more than 10,000 and its status has not been regulated in a
privatisation process.
An average salary in the daily amounts to DM 400 whereas reporters
in rival papers such as "Dnevni avaz" have salaries twice to three
times as high.
The Association of Bosnia-Herzegovina Journalists and the
Independent Union of Bosnia-Herzegovina Professional Journalists
have voiced supported for the strikers.
(hina) rml