Medijski watch dog

Slovenski novinar Večera, Blaž Zgaga, se je pred kratkim obrnil na predsednike vlad, predsednike držav, na predsedujoče parlamentom vseh evropskih držav ter na nevladne organizacije ter tiskovne agencije s prošnjo za pomoč slovenskim novinarjem, nad katerimi se izvajajo hudi pritiski. Naslov njegovega prispevka je »Cenzura v Sloveniji« in v njem pledira za to, da bi omenjeni pozvali predsednika vlade, Janeza Janšo, da preneha z intervencijami v medije, še zlasti v situaciji, ko bo Slovenija naslednje leto predsedovala EU. Pismo omenjenim in evropski javnosti sploh objavljamo spodaj; navedimo že nekaj odmevov v tujini (tule, tule in tule). Spomnimo, da je poteza Zgage prva tovrstna pogumna poteza kakšnega slovenskega novinarja.

Public letter to the leaders and citizens of European Union

Censorship in Slovenia

Your excellency, dear citizen of the European union!

As a journalist of the Slovenian daily newspaper Večer with a lot of experience I would like to inform you about some worrying developments in Slovenian media. My articles, for example, are often censored. Mostly these are articles which convey some unfavourable information toward the governmental policy or which are critical of the government and its president Janez Janša.

After the elections in 2004 all editors and chief executive officers in almost all major media in Slovenia have been removed from their positions. These changes have been conducted by the government, which has used state shares in some Slovenian companies with shares in media as a tool for these replacements. In addition, there were also some other pressures on owners of media shares.

The Slovenian government established an informal and influential pyramid of decision-making in a vast majority of Slovenia’s media. The consequences are daily pressures on journalists and censorship implemented by editors with a positive attitude towards Janša’s government. This situation, unfortunately, also exist at newspaper Večer.

According to the research presented by the Peace Institute from Ljubljana in May 2007, three different types of censorship exist in Slovenian media. Besides experiencing censorship, many journalists have lost their jobs in the last years, and a lot of journalists have been removed from covering certain specialised themes. Also I, for example, have been removed from covering intelligence and security affairs in my newspaper despite my indisputable references in this field. This sensitive area is now covered by a journalist inclined to the government.

Interference of the main government party SDS (Slovenian Democratic Party) and its president Janez Janša in the media was confirmed on 12 June 2007 in a letter of Adrijana Starina Kosem, the then secretary general at the Ministry of Economy and a former close associate of the head of the government.

Interventions in the media are not the only sign of less democratic rule of the current government. Almost all institutions assuring checks and balances and which are a prerequisite for working democracy are under pressure in Slovenia.

These are the reasons why I am asking you, the leaders and citizens of the European Union, for assistance. I am appealing to you to carefully monitor the developments in Slovenia. I am also asking you to call on the head of the government Janez Janša to stop the pressures and interferences in the media, either through your diplomatic communication with the Slovenian government or by your personal letters sent to the Slovenian embassies in your countries.

On 1st January 2008 Slovenia will begin its semi-annual presidency of the European Union. It would be a worrying message for all citizens of the European Union and the rest of the world that in the 21st century European Union is led by a country where censorship and pressures on journalists are so widespread. And where an authoritarian type of governing is developing, while the democracy and media freedom are declining. Unfortunately, such is the situation in Slovenia at the moment. The forthcoming presidency by such a country could be a worrying signal for the present, but even more disturbing for the future of the European Union.

Blaž Zgaga, journalist, Večer

Author’s references:

- more than 2000 articles published in newspapers Delo in Veèer since 1993

- The Observer, >British deal fuelled Balkan War<, May 28 2000, with Antony Barnett, London

- Jane’s Intelligence Review, >Slovenia’s missing intelligence reforms<, November 2000, London

- Committee to Protect Journalists, >Attacks on the press<, 2001 and 2002, New York;

listed after being prosecuted in 2000 by the Slovenian General State Attorney for maximum five years in prison for revealing a military secret. He was accused of disclosing intelligence cooperation between Slovenian and US intelligence services (Defence Intelligence Agency) in Yugoslavia. He won the legal case at the court in 2003.