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MARCH 2003
CROATIA CAR BOMB
H.E. Stipe Mesic
President of Croatia
H.E. Ivica Racan
Prime Minister of Croatia
H.E. Sime Lucin
Minister of Internal Affairs of Croatia
Vienna, 4 March 2003
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about the attack on Ninoslav Pavic, co-owner and president of the Managing Board of Europapress Holding (EPH), the biggest independent newspaper publisher in Croatia.
According to information before SEEMO, a bomb underneath Pavic's car exploded in front of his house in Zagreb at 4 a.m. (local time) on 1 March
2003. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the attack.
SEEMO believes that the aim of the attack was to intimidate and silence journalists working for EPH, especially journalists for the weekly Globus
and daily Jutarnji list, who have published numerous articles about organised crime and corruption in Croatia. In the past, journalists for
Globus and Jutarnji list, as well as other media in Croatia, have been harassed, intimidated and threatened because of their investigative
reporting. During recent months, the number of these threats has increased significantly. The bomb that exploded under the car of Pavic is the
culmination of these events, and the authorities have done little to investigate these cases.
SEEMO strongly condemns the attack on Pavic, as well as the other cases of intimidation against journalists in Croatia, and calls upon the authorities
to carry out an immediate and thorough investigation and to bring to justice those responsible. Furthermore, we ask you to do everything in your power to ensure that journalists working in Croatia are able to safely carry out their profession.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
OCTOBER 2003
CYPRUS
H.E. Rauf R. Denktash
Leader of the Turkish-Cypriot Community
Lefkosa
"Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"
Vienna, 3 October 2003
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned about the safety of journalists working for the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper AFRIKA.
According to information before SEEMO, on 30 September 2003 the leaders of the "Grey Wolves" organisation from the "Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus" threatened two Afrika journalists, Shener Levent and Ali Osman, as well as their colleagues, via the local newspaper, Volkan.
Therefore, SEEMO calls upon the Turkish-Cypriot authorities to do everything in their power to secure a working environment for journalists in which
freedom of expression is respected and the physical safety of journalists ensured.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
SEEMO Secretary General
PROTEST ALBANIA
His Excellency Fatos Nano
Prime Minister of Albania
Tirana
Albania
Vienna, 16 October 2003
Your Excellency,
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South Eastern Europe, and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), strongly condemns the violent attack on TV Vizioni Plus news-editor, Ilir Babarama.
According to SEEMO´s sources, on 14 October 2003, Luan Rama, Minister of Public Order, and his bodyguards allegedly attacked Babarama in public while the journalist was attending Your Excellency´s celebrations at the successful conclusion of the local Albanian elections.
SEEMO urges Your Excellency to do everything in your power to bring to justice those responsible for this incident. We also respectfully remind you
that it is the duty of the state to provide an environment in which media professionals are able to carry out their duties without fear of attack.
Therefore, we ask you to ensure the safety of all journalists working in Albania.
Yours sincerely,
Oliver Vujovic
Secretary General
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