EFJ, IFJ call on HRT to withdraw lawsuits against journalists

The HND recalled that between Christmas and New Year the HRT management filed lawsuits against the HND, Hrvoje Zovko and Mikleusevic Pavic for alleged criminal acts against the HRT's honour and reputation, seeking HRK 500,000 in damages.

According to the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa NGO, journalists in Croatia are being sued for defamation with increasing frequency, including about 20 suits filed in the last few months against eight media. 'It's a clear example of censorship - the HND said.

The IFJ and EFJ have joined the Western Balkan's Regional Platform for Advocating Media Freedom and Journalists' Safety in asking the HRT to withdraw the lawsuits as soon as possible.

- Managers of HRT should stop pressuring HND... and harassing representatives of the journalists’ association - IFJ secretary-general Anthony Bellanger has said.

EFJ secretary-general Ricardo Gutiérrez has reminded Croatian authorities that a recent European Union report on media pluralism in Croatia pointed out the 'politicised appointments and dismissals in the public service broadcaster HRT'.

The report also mentions the 'systematic political interference' in HRT management appointment procedures.

- The dismissed Supervisory Committee submitted a 2016 report to the Parliament in which it exposed many irregularities in the management of the public service media. The report displays the state of the serious management crisis - the HND said.