17. 07. 2012

ANEM CONDEMNS THREATS AND ATTACK OF VELIMIR ILIC ON JOURNALIST OLJA BECKOVIC

Belgrade, July 17, 2012 - Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strenuously condemns the threats and attack of the Nova Srbija President Velimir Ilic on journalist Olja Beckovic, editor and host of the TV B92 and PG Mreza co-production program "Utisak nedelje" (Impression of the week) that has been airing on ANEM member TV B92 for years.

At the press conference, Velimir Ilic announced that a media campaign was being led against him by "the same ones who had been campaigning against him for year" and who, as Ilic claimed, "are still talking". Velimir Ilic named Olja Beckovic in particular, by wondering "what more did she want from him, was she normal or sane" and advised the management of TV B92 to "send her to a medical check-up". Ilic concluded his tirade with a threat that the said journalist "should be taught some manners by someone else, if her father did not know how".

ANEM reminds that only two months ago, the former minister in the Government of Vojislav Kostunica, the MP and an aspirant to a seat in the new Serbian Government was ordered by the first instance verdict to pay compensation of damages for attacking and insulting journalist Vladimir Jesic during the recording of interview back in 2003, and that he also has a long history of the most offensive insults and threats addressed to journalist Olja Beckovic, B92 and other media and journalists.

ANEM stresses that it is absolutely unacceptable that politicians, who should be more tolerant to critical reporting of media, should demand anyone, let alone journalists, to stop "talking", not to mention threaten them to "teach them some manners". ANEM reminds that Ilic has been hiding behind his MP immunity long enough, using it to avoid taking full responsibility for his earlier threats and attacks on journalists, and is about time that he does now.

Particularly considering Ilic aspirations to the seat in the new government, ANEM is expressing deep concern that Ilic's latest incident is actually an indication that the attitude of the authorities towards media and journalists would not change with the new ruling coalition coming into power in Serbia.

ANEM expresses its full solidarity with journalist Olja Beckovic and its member station TV B92, and urges Serbian authorities to ensure the protection of freedom of expression at least to a level worthy of a civilized and democratic society as Serbia tends to be.

ANEM President, Sasa Mirkovic