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Suing an Editor to Protect Law and Order in Croatia
More media crackdowns by the HDZ.
By Laura Lui
ZAGREB, June 5 (Reuters) - Croatia's ruling party, rejecting accusations it was mounting a smear campaign against opponents, filed a libel suit against the editor of a leading political weekly, Croatian radio reported on Wednesday. The weekly Globus last week alleged the leadership of President Franjo Tudjman's Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) had drawn up a blacklist of political opponents and aimed to stain their reputation through the government-controlled media. The list was said to include the names of opposition party leaders, Vlado Gotovac of the Liberals and Ivica Racan of the Social Democrats.
"That the HDZ had drawn up any such list is out of the question... All HDZ members, its leadership in particular, have been damaged (by this article)," the radio quoted a lawyer for the party as saying. "But the party instituted criminal proceedings against (editor-in-chief) Davor Butkovic primarily in order to protect law and order and the interests of the Croatian nation, and only secondly to protect HDZ interests and its leadership," the lawyer said.
Butkovic was being sued both as editor and author of the article.
Some analysts say Croatian authorities have begun a new crackdown on critics in the independent media to offset a
decline in the popularity of the HDZ ahead of important local elections this year. Croatia's leading independent daily Novi List has been hit with a $2.5 million fine for alleged tax violations.
Another weekly, the satirical Feral Tribune, is being sued by Tudjman after it criticised his suggestion World War Two Croat fascists should be reburied near their victims. The government also recently passed legislation outlawing publication of state secrets and a bill banning "slander" of state leadership, the measure Tudjman used to prosecute the Feral Tribune. Globus said the HDZ's aim in drawing the blacklist was to divert public attention from the party's reverses.
But the HDZ last week retorted the allegation was "a form of psychological war against Croatia and an attempt to weaken (the country)," Croatian news agency Hina reported. |
Berserkistan, May 29 · Croatia's Ruling Party Denies Blacklisting Opponents
Berserkistan, May 17 · Journalists to be Tried in June for Libeling Croatia's Tudjman
Berserkistan, May 16 · Europe's Rejection of Croatia Dismays Croats Seeking Democracy
Berserkistan, May 14 · Civil Liberties Crackdown Delays Croatia's European Plans
Berserkistan, May 10 · Croatia Accuses Its Human Rights Chief
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