20. 05. 2002

INDIRECT PRESSURE ON MEDIA CONTINUES

PIROT, May 20, 2002 - There is no open repression of media in Serbia, although indirect pressure continues in the form of legal actions against certain companies, the head of the Civil Initiative from Belgrade, Miljenko Dereta, said during a recent guest appearance on TV Pirot. "Despite this, I believe our media haven't changed. Our print media have become yellow press. I see no professionalism among hem but only a race for profits, which are seen as being generated only by scandals. When there is no real scandal., the media begin to generate it, which is very dangerous. Dereta also pointed out that he was against people who had abused the media under the former regime getting away unpunished and that he and the NGO he represents were urging a law on lustration, but were facing fierce resistance.