03. 05. 2007

CROATIAN JOURNALIST REFUSES SERBIAN AWARD

ZAGREB, 3 May 2007 (B92, Beta) - Croatian state television host Denis Latin has refused to accept a Serbian Journalists Association (UNS) award.

The organizers hoped to mark the Freedom of the Press Day in Belgrade honoring Latin with the Zora (Dawn) award for his special contribution to the freedom of the media.

Latin told journalists in Croatia his moral principles and human conscience prevented him from receiving the award from the hands of the UNS leaders, “who in the past proved to be celebrating crime, destruction and occupation of Vukovar.”

“The problem is in the association’s leadership, which had a fairly shameful role during the occupation and destruction of Vukovar. I am simply put uncomfortable about receiving that award,” Latin said.

“I think it is more important to warn about these things and the freedom of the media, than to receive this award,” Latin concluded.