Free media conference opens in Zagreb

ZAGREB, 1 March 2001 - The President of Croatia, Stjepan Mesic, called on media in South-Eastern Europe to be free of politics and said journalists should work to rehabilitate the "partly compromised" profession.

Mr. Mesic was speaking at the opening of a conference on "Free Media in South-Eastern Europe", held in Zagreb from 28 February to 1 March. The President said he was pleased this topic was discussed in the Croatian capital. He stressed that in the countries of the former Yugoslavia "the lack of media freedom in the 80s was followed by government control of the media in the 90s that disseminated intolerance and hatred."

The President said he believed the media should be free of politics and that the journalists themselves are now "faced with the need to rehabilitate this partly compromised profession." President Mesic said that journalists, like politicians, are servants of the public.

In his opening remarks the Head of the OSCE Mission to Croatia, Ambassador Bernard Poncet, said: "Freedom of the media, the protection of the journalists and especially the role of the media in reconciliation and conflict prevention are issues which the OSCE Mission has sought to promote vigorously throughout its stay in Croatia." Ambassador Poncet noted that several participants in the conference were journalists who had personally suffered because of their devotion to finding and reporting the truth.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Freimut Duve, stressed that the conference was especially important because democracy is now emerging in Croatia and Serbia. He noted that most media in the region are no longer forging war. "But media can do more to foster a public debate and to promote reconciliation. This will not be an easy debate, many people, including those in power, may feel attacked, even libeled. Journalists, as public servants, have to understand that our level of tolerance must be much higher than that of any ordinary citizen," said Duve.

Christophe Poirel from the Council of Europe concentrated on the legal aspects of freedom of expression, stressing that the Council of Europe, "is determined to continue its efforts in order to obtain the removal of any obstacles to the exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of the media." He underlined that in the context of South Eastern Europe, where the dissemination of hate speech by a number of media has played a crucial role in the outbreak of war, "it is now essential that both governments and the media themselves take all appropriate means firstly to fight against those who advocate racism, intolerance and hatred, and secondly to promote tolerance and mutual understanding."

Denis Latin, a commentator for Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) opened the first plenary session focusing in his remarks on the changes in the media field after democratic forces came to power in Croatia. In his personal view, he was not hindered in any way in performing his professional duties. "The obstacles are in one's mind," said Latin.

He also discussed the recent changes at HRT.

The Conference on Free Media in South Eastern-Europe is organized by the OSCE Mission to Croatia, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media and the Council of Europe, opened in Zagreb. It focuses on the current state of media and strategies for promoting press freedom in South-Eastern Europe.

For more information, please contact Alessandro Fracassetti, Spokesperson, OSCE Mission to Croatia, Florijana Andraseca 14, 10 000 Zagreb, tel.: +385 1 3096 620, fax: + 385 1 3096 297, e-mail: osce-croatia@oscecro.org