The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Europe's biggest association of journalists, has expressed concern about the latest events at Croatian Television (HTV) and some HTV reporters being threatened with dismissal over their criticism of the public broadcaster's editorial policy and the general situation at HTV, including suspicions of corruption, the Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) said on Tuesday.
EFJ president Arne Koenig said that an HTV editor and reporter covering world news, Elizabeta Gojan, had been given two warnings before dismissal for stating publicly that HTV lacked good programmes and that its management and editorial board were marginalising prominent reporters. Gojan has also expressed suspicion about possible corruption in the light of the fact that some programmes were grossly overpaid.
The EFJ also cited the case of HTV reporter Maja Sever, who has also been given two warnings before dismissal for refusing to include in her programme a report about a local private wine festival because she did not consider it to be of public interest. Lela Knezevic, another HTV editor, has also been given two warnings before dismissal.
The EFJ considers the threats to constitute harassment that poses a threat to HTV's autonomy and the work of journalists who speak about the current situation at HTV.
Recalling the Croatian Culture Ministry's plan to amend the Croatian Radio and Television Act which could result in HTV's new management and editorial boards, the EFJ says it fears the threats are actually an act of revenge motivated by the desire to silence reporters criticising the current management.
The EFJ expressed its support to the HND, calling for respect for editorial autonomy and for preventing the dismissal of the prominent journalists.
