Izetbegovic's Attack on Independent Media

ATTACKING ME MEANS ATTACKING B&H!

AIM SARAJEVO, 12 December, 1997

On Saturday, in his two-hour speech delivered at the panel meeting of the Council of the Congress of Bosniac Intellectuals, the President of the B&H Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic attacked the media, more precisely the weeklies and bi-weeklies, without mentioning their names, but reading and criticizing some of their articles so that the alternative media could clearly recognize themselves. Incidentally, only a handful of political magazines are published in Sarajevo, but the President's criticism was targeted at the magazines "Dani" (Days), "Slobodna Bosna" (Free Bosnia) and "Svijet" (The World). In his Saturday speech, Izetbegovic accused them of having mounted a smear campaign against the Bosnian state and called them mercenaries, unprofessional, firebrands and in the end asked the citizens "not to take their word for it".

"Everyone who is not deaf or blind is aware of this campaign against the Bosnian authorities, against the Bosnian Army. He can feel that the intention is to smear the authorities, to paint everything black so that crime, lawlessness, struggle for power, etc. make the headlines. That is characteristic of some magazines in Bosnia...Those are the magazines that call themselves independent. It might sound rough, but my impression is that they are neither independent nor professional", said the President of the B&H Presidency.

After that, Senad Pecanin, editor-in-chief of "Dani" stated that he carefully followed the statement of President Izetbegovic, especially that part in which he was referring to the media.

"I have once already written that on some rare occasions President Izetbegovic reminded me of the Croatian President Tudjman, especially when he imitates his dictatorial behaviour. Such attempts are funny as they have nothing in common with Izetbegovic's character".

"But, what we have heard on Saturday is not funny, it is rather tragic. According to President Izetbegovic, it turns out that the situation in this country is idyllic and that only a few "magazines" are disturbing and spoiling it. I wonder whether he is at all aware how his ungrounded accusations, arbitrary assessments and incompetent conclusions contribute to the creation of a "witch-hunt" atmosphere which will, sooner or later, result in a punishment, in other words, a crime against those of which the President spoke. But, if the price for maintaining this idyllic situation in the country and among the Bosniac people, is to eliminate few editors and associates of the mentioned "magazines" - Selimbegovic, Beric, Curak, Keba, Avdic or Pecanin - I do not the slightest doubt that there are plenty of those willing to pay that price. I only regret that President Izetbegovic was the one to issue such an order", stated Pecanin.

Senad Avdic, editor-in-chief of "Slobodna Bosna" says that he was not surprised by Izetbegovic's attack on the magazines, as much as he was surprised by his statement that he liked the programme of the B&H Television, which is disastrous. If any of the local media have any professional standards then the local magazines have and that is also evident from their circulation, said Avdic and pointed out:

"Naturally, from Izetbegovic's words I have understood that he was referring to "Slobodna Bosna" (too). I am informed of Mr.Izetbegovic's instruction to high state and party officials that they should react to any public naming of names. In that context, in the last two months, the editorial office of "Slobodna Bosna" has received reactions and denials from some high official in connection with our texts about them. Hasan Cengic was the only one who disregarded Izetbegovic's advice and did not reply to the question asked who was the owner of two airplanes his firm "Bio Tours" was using. I think that a bigger problem for this state is to explain how can anyone privately own two planes (while the official state airline has none) than all the media taken together are.

As far as the accusation that we are "mercenaries" is concerned, I can only say that we received far less money from foreign states and different institutions than high state officials, including the President of the Presidency. The only difference is that we have carefully registered each cent we received, while the money they got was distributed and squandered without any control of the official financial institutions".

Editor-in-chief of the weekly "Svijet", Zlatko Dizdarevic, claimed that he was satisfied that President Izetbegovic has finally decided to speak up as "it is absolutely incredible that no one from the political leadership of the country said a word to all that has been said in public".

"As far as the media are concerned, once again the reaction reflects the reverse reasoning - those who disclose the truth are guilty, and the truth which, in this case, is terrible, is irrelevant. The attacked journalists only dealt with facts, even official court documents, and were accused of casting a slur upon the state, even ruining its reputation abroad. Personally, I think that the already deteriorated reputation of B&H abroad has rather been increased by the fact that our journalism has found strength to deal with these issues. The problem lies in the fact that journalists in this country are striving to defend the truth and the reputation of their profession, while many feel directly or indirectly endangered by that truth," said the Svijet's editor-in-chief.

Boro Kontic, Vice-President of the Independent Union of Professional Journalists explained that the independent and professional media in Bosnia and Herzegovina had but one address - the public. And everything that should reach them, both praises and criticism, should come from that same public.

"I assume that in his speech Mr.Izetbegovic had in mind "Dani" and "Slobodna Bosna". But these magazines have a large circulation. Each of their issues is published in over 30 thousand copies. I think that there is no paper which can satisfy a President of the state and its political leadership. Naturally, we can always debate about the quality of some articles, arguments used and all sides presenting their side of the story, but I personally think that what "Dani" and "Slobodna Bosna" had done recently represents an important step for impartial B&H public. As far as our Union is concerned, we welcome such practice and think that these papers are on the right track and are doing their job just the way all fair and independent papers in any state should", Boro Kontic pointed out.

Zoran Udovicic, Director of the "Medija Plan" pointed out that the debate about the papers and journalists should be conducted in the papers, in other words, where it had originated, and not at panel discussions and on the B&H Television. According to him that is an important rule of any public discussion.

"It is the duty of journalists to search for the truth and I do not see in it any attack being made on the state, as Izetbegovic claimed", concluded Udovicic.

Sandra KASALO

(AIM Sarajevo)