_________________________________________________________________
ALERT - CROATIA
21 June 2007
Independent newspaper closes, alleging bias after government refuses to
write off debt; a "massive blow to media pluralism", says EFJ
SOURCE: International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Brussels
(IFJ/IFEX) - The following is a 19 June 2007 media release of the European
Federation of Journalists (EFJ), an IFJ regional group:
Journalists Condemn Closure of Croatia's Pioneering Feral Tribune as
"Massive Blow"
The European Federation of Journalists has deplored the closure of
Croatia's weekly Feral Tribune calling it a "massive blow to media
pluralism."
"The closure of a paper that has for years been a flagship for press
freedom in the region is a massive blow to media pluralism", said EFJ Chair
Arne König. "In a time of increasing financial pressure, punitive taxation
policies can have a devastating impact. For years Feral Tribune has been a
symbol of the challenging and independent journalism upon which democracy
relies. We call on the Croatian authorities to do more to safeguard
pluralism in this hostile commercial environment."
Feral Tribune distinguished itself as the Croatian paper with an abundance
of awards. Its journalists challenged the political giants of the region
when the war and chaos overwhelmed the Balkans in the 1990s. Its biting
journalism exposed the actions of the regime of Slobodan Milošević in
Serbia and tested the patience of Croatian leader Franjo Tudjman at home.
Its reporting, whether in war or in peace time, was always challenging,
said the EFJ, and often at high risk.
"The battles fought by Feral Tribune were all about democracy and
fundamental rights," said Arne König. "Even now we appeal for action to try
to save and nurture the journalism it pioneered."
The Croatian government recently blocked the paper's bank account to
collect a VAT debt of €68,200 and another move was announced to collect a
further debt of €136.426. This proved to be a fatal blow to the finances of
the paper where journalists have not received salaries for months. The
paper's management accused the authorities of double standards because in
the past the Croatian government has written off VAT debts to some
state-owned media. The paper also accused large advertisers of
discriminating against them.
The EFJ affiliate, the Croatian Journalists' Association, called on the
authorities to help keep Feral Tribune's alive. "Even those who do not
agree with Feral Tribune editorial policy should defend Feral's right to
survive," said Dragutin Lučić Luce, CJA President.
The editorial board of Feral Tribune said that "Feral's disappearance from
the newsstands will be, whether one likes it or not, a symptom of the
future in which journalism will be accorded the miserable role of
servitude."
The EFJ represents over 260,000 journalists in more than 30 countries.
For further information, contact the EFJ, tel: +322 235 2200, or the IFJ,
International Press Centre, Residence Palace, Block C, 155 Rue de la Loi,
B-1040 Brussels, Belgium, tel: +322 235 2200 or +322 235 2207, fax: +322
235 2219, e-mail: rachel.cohen@ifj.org, Internet: http://www.ifj.org/
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of IFJ.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit IFJ.
_________________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
555 Richmond St. West, # 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
_________________________________________________________________
--
To unsubscribe from this list visit
http://listmgr.ifex.org/lists/?p=unsubscribe&uid=1ea94d458769155a3d8cd0200e8e6093
To update your preferences visit
http://listmgr.ifex.org/lists/?p=preferences&uid=1ea94d458769155a3d8cd0200e8e6093
--
Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com --
