15. 01. 2014

KUSTURICA WON THE CASE AGAINST "E-NOVINE"

Belgrade, January 15, 2014 (Politika) - By its ruling of 11 December last year, the High Court in Belgrade has pledged that Petar Lukovic and "E - novine" pay the (film) director Emir Kusturica a total amount of 336,000 dinars for mental suffering , injury to reputation and honor.

Lukovic and "E - novine " should pay an amount of 150,000 dinars in compensation and 186.600 dinars for the costs of the proceedings. Also, the sentenced is to publish the ruling without delay and comments in public media, "E - novine ".
The court ruled that Peter Lukovic and "E - novine " are responsible because they published false information about Emir Kusturica taken from the website "Peščanik".

Directed by Emir Kusturica filed a lawsuit against " E - novine " for defamation  in an article "New Year's Fairy Tale for Killers", written by Zoran Janic and Miroslav Bojcic.

In this article, the director has been linked with paid assassin Veselin Vukotic, for whom an Interpol arrest warrant has been issued, and for whom, according to the authors of the text , during his hiding in Spain and France, Emir Kusturica was the main contact with Serbia, a person contact, an inseparable friends.

The authors have, it turned out without evidence, claimed that Kusturica performed a role of a messenger between State Security Service of Serbia ( Jovica Stanisic ) and Vukotic, carrying him messages, and often money.

None of these statements made by authors, turned out in the court proceedings, to be true.

The lawsuit by Kusturica at the time raised great media attention primarily because the director asked for two million in damages.
The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS ) at that time announced that the lawsuit is an open pressure against the editorial board of the Website.

Representatives of the Association of Journalists of Serbia , on the other hand, did not support the Website, nor the position of NUNS, because "E - novine " did not give any evidence for hard- incriminating statements, and did not name the source.

Lawyer Zdenko Tomanovic, whose office represented Kusturica in this case, said that public figures have a right to demand respect for their dignity and honor. At the same time in relation to the reputation of public figures there is an obligation of journalists to act in good faith and on the precise factual basis , to provide reliable and accurate information and cannot be relieved of their obligation to verify factual statements that defame certain public figure, in this case Emir Kusturica.

-Public figures must, also, be treated in accordance with the ethics of journalism , with respect to journalistic duties and responsibilities. The limits of acceptable criticism are wider with regard to public figures  in relation to other individuals , and public figures have to demonstrate a high level of tolerance, but their reputation and honor must be respected. They have a right to protection always  when there is no legitimate public interest for open discussion of political issues and matters of public interest - said Tomanovic.