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Statement by a Member of the Central Council of the Socialist Party of Serbia

Some Independent Media are Protectors of Albanian Separatism

by Tanjug

Politika, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, March 23 1998

A member of the Central Council of the Socialist Party of Serbia, Zivorad Igic, stated yesterday to Tanjug that a part of the so called independent media in Serbia and FR Yugoslavia with its reporting about the events in Kosovo and Metohija had become an open propaganda channel for and protector of Albanian separatism and terrorism and its supporters and advocates in the country and abroad.

"A part of these media has already crossed the border of their 'democratic nature' and 'independence'," stated Igic.

Commenting the most recent information-propaganda campaign against Serbia and FR Yugoslavia which has reached the proportions of an anti Serb hysteria in some foreign media, Igic said that "some so called independent media in Serbia and FR Yugoslavia are significantly contributing to that campaign".

Their reporting about the recent events in Kosovo and Metohija, said Igic, is exactly the same as the reporting by a part of the foreign media, Albanian television, and media outlets of the Albanian separatism organizations from Kosmet, which clearly demonstrates that the same model and manner of reporting created at the same headquarters with identical goals and motives is at work.

By using lies and misinterpreting facts about events in Kosovo and Metohija, past and present, and without criticism providing space for the members of the so called democratic political establishment in Serbia and FR Yugoslavia these media have put themselves in the service of direct affirmation of Albanian terrorism and separatism and those who seek to destroy Serbia and FR Yugoslavia.

Emphasizing that journalism is a creative profession, Igic said that those media have a long time ago abandoned that fundamental principle of journalism and replaced it by involvement in politics, unprincipled support for some political options, selective reporting of facts, substitution of theses and topics and other "inventions" directly directed against their own state and their own people.

There can be only two reasons for such behavior of these media, added Igic. They are either following instructions from abroad, followed with strong financial injections or, on the other hand pathologically have Serbia and Serb people.

Democracy and independence are only innocent political attributes which can be spotted by even those people who hardly know anything about politics, said Igic, adding that such destructive actions in the public and against the public, directed directly against journalistic ethics and own state and nation, are hardly democratic or independent.


Translated on 7/5/98


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