<nettime> ANEM WEEKLY REPORT ON MEDIA IN SERBIA

[mediawatch-owner@freeb92.net]

Latest news:

Supreme Military Court overturns Filipovic sentence

BELGRADE, September 10, 2000 - The Association of Independent
Electronic Media salutes today's decision by the Supreme Military
Court to overturn the seven year prison sentence passed on Kraljevo
journalist Miroslav Filipovic earlier this year.

The Court overturned Filipovic's conviction for espionage and the
dissemination of false information, returning the verdict to the Nis
Military Court for reconsideration.  The court said its ruling was
based on the violation of legal proceedings in the original trial and
ordered that Filipovic be released from prison immediately.    

While supporting the decision of the Supreme Military Court, ANEM is
concerned that the indictment against Filipovic is still valid and
calls on the Military Prosecutor in Nis to withdraw the indictment in
accordance with his authorisation.

ANEM thanks all individuals and organisations who have joined the
campaign for Miroslav Filipovic to be released and hopes that the
democratic processes now launched in our society will see an end to
the practice of suppressing free public expression and unbiased
investigative reporting along with pressure on journalists and media,
particularly in the form of prison sentences and threats of criminal
prosecution.      


Veran Matic
Chairman
ANEM
    
------

ANEM WEEKLY REPORT ON MEDIA IN SERBIA
SEPTEMBER 30 - OCTOBER 6, 2000.

TV NOVI SAD EMPLOYEES DISMISSED 

NOVI SAD, 30.09.2000 - Six employees from regime-controlled Radio
Television Serbia in Novi Sad who formed a strike committee demanding
changes to broadcasting policy were dismissed last night. One of the
dismissed employees Tatjana Vojtahovski-Stevanov told Beta today that
they had been dismissed for not coming to work for five consecutive
days, a reason which was pure fabrication. Vojtahovski-Stevanov said
that besides her, music editor Bogomir Mijatovic, cameraman Vladimir
Karadjinov, montager Nebojsa Paplar, director of montage Katarina
Tislovksi and director Vera Bojic had also been sacked. 70 Television
Novi Sad employees yesterday signed a petition demanding that the
directors of Radio Television Serbia and TV Novi Sad allow the
broadcasting of election results data from opposition headquarters.
Beta was told by its sources from TV Novi Sad that were several
uniformed and several plain clothed policemen in the building today.

RADIO STUDIO B STOPS PROGRAMMING

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - Belgrade Radio Studio B stopped its programming
yesterday, broadcasting only music in protest at the non recognition
of the electoral victory of Democratic Opposition of Serbia
presidential candidate Vojislav Kostunica. Radio Studio B stated that
the unanimous decision reached by the radio's employees would remain
in force until all DOS' demands, i.e. the declaration of Kostunica as
the new Yugoslavia President had been met.

Beta reports that TV Studio B broadcast a full and detailed report on
the Democratic Opposition of Serbia protest in Belgrade on the news at
5 p.m. yesterday as well as reporting on the opposition block's demand
for the establishment of the presidential elections results and the
withdrawal of the Federal Electoral Commission's decision to hold a
second ballot.

BBC CORRESPONDENT ORDERED TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY 

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - BBC permanent correspondent in Yugoslavia
Jackie Rolland was yesterday given 48 hours to leave Yugoslavia.
Rolland has been the BBC's correspondent in Yugoslavia for the past
two years and was ordered to leave the country yesterday when she was
invited to the police station to obtain an exit visa, Beta reports
today.

RADIO ZAJECAR BROADCASTS DOS STATEMENTS
 
ZAJECAR, 30.09.2000 - The director of pro-regime Radio Zajecar
yesterday bowed to an ultimatum from staff over the broadcast of
opposition news and statements. The employees of the station yesterday
offered their resignations to director Branimir Zivanovic. Zivanovic
refused to accept the resignations and instead directed the station's
editorial staff to broadcast reports of opposition rallies and
statements from opposition leaders. In today's news programmes, the
station has been broadcasting stories on last night's opposition
demonstration in Zajecar.        

BK ANNOUNCES CHARGE FOR DISINFORMATION ABOUT BOGOLJUB KARIC 

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - BK Telekom company stated yesterday that it
would file criminal charges against the Beta news agency and any other
media which broadcast information that Bogoljub Karic had left the
country for Moscow. A BK Telekom statement issued yesterday stated
that Bogoljub Karic had spent the past three weeks with his family in
Belgrade. Beta cited the report published in London's Telegraph
regarding the current situation in Yugoslavia, which, among other
things writes that Bogoljub Karic ' one of the richest men in Serbia'
had gone to Moscow with six of his assistants.        

LJUBICA MARKOVIC WINNER OF ITALIAN JOURNALIST AWARD

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - Beta news agency editor-in-chief Ljubica
Markovic is the winner of this year's Italian international journalist
award. The jury stated that the International Calabria Award went to
Belgrade journalist Ljubica Markovic for her work on spreading
objective and versatile information. The award will be presented to
Markovic on October 20, in Villa Sangiovanni in Calabria, southern
Italy. The International Calabria award is presented every year to one
journalist form Italy and one foreign journalist, Beta reports today.

ANEM CALLS ON ALL MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS TO BREAK MEDIA BLOCKADE

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - The Association of Independent Electronic Media
yesterday appealed to all radio and television stations in the country
and the region to contribute actively with their programmes to ensure
accurate and timely information about the events in Yugoslavia at this
crucial time. The Association urged all electronic media to
immediately join the campaign against the information blockade, and,
if they did not have access to relevant information, gave them
permission to rebroadcast regional radio television B2-92 programmes
during the media blockade.

CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST CUKIC FOR VECERNJE NOVOSTI PHOTOMONTAGE

BELGRADE, 30.9.2000. - The crisis headquarters of stockholders for the
defense of Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti today filed criminal
charges through the legal representative of this nationalised
stockholding association against the daily's director and
editor-in-chief Dusan Cukic. The reason for the charges was the
manipulation and huge business and moral damage caused to the daily by
the publishing of the photomontage from the pre election meeting in
Berane on the front page of the daily's edition dated September 21st.
According to the crisis headquarters, this was a deliberate attempt on
the part of Dusan Cukic to mislead Vecernje novosti readers and the
entire Serbian and Yugoslav public about the character and number of
participants in this meeting. The crisis headquarters called on the
Association of Serbian Journalists to dismiss Dusan Cukic and also
appealed to the Electoral Supervisory Board to estimate whether
Cukic's act was in accordance with the rules set out for the pre
election campaign. The crisis headquarters is made up of Vecernje
novosti veterans and pensioners, stockholders, Assembly
representatives as well as representatives of the Vecernje novosti
Managing Board, Supervisory Board and editorial staff. 

RADIO HERCEG NOVI WORKERS ON STRIKE

HERCEG NOVI, 30.9.2000. - Radio Herceg Novi employees stopped working
yesterday in protest at the dismissal of radio director Jadranka
Krsanac-Kovacevic and the appointment of Milenko Vic to the position
of radio director, Beta reports today. A statement issued by the
employees writes that Jadranka Krsanac-Kovacevic was replaced by the
same board which had supported her eight days ago.     

INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF JOURNALISTS SUPPORTS GENERAL STRIKE

BRUSSELS, 30.9.2000. - The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) today gave its support to the call for a general strike in
Yugoslavia with the aim of forcing Slobodan Milosevic to step down
from power. Secretary General of the Federation Aiden White stated
that journalists and media workers had been in the front lines of the
fight for freedom and democracy in Belgrade over the past decade, and
at this crucial moment the Federation gave them their complete support
in the call for mass strikes. The International Federation of
Journalists also called on all its members to send messages of support
to their Yugoslavian members. The Secretary General has made plans to
visit Kosovo next week in order to see what how the situation as
regards press freedom stands there, but the government in Belgrade
refused to grant him permission to visit Serbia. "The fight for
democracy is in its decisive phase and the pressure on Milosevic must
be intensified', White said, calling on the the Association of
Journalists to break all connections with Milosevic's regime and open
up state media for all members of the society. The Federation
statement concluded by saying that Yugoslavia was at a critical
crossroads and everything must be done to show solidarity to the
journalists and all those who fight for democracy.

STUDIO B JOURNALISTS REFUSE TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMMING

BELGRADE, 30.09.2000. - Twelve journalists from Belgrade's regime
controlled Radio Studio B today refused to participate in the radio's
programming in protest at the non recognition of DOS candidate
Vojislav Kostunica's electoral victory, Beta reports. In a written
statement, the journalists said that they had been banned from further
entry to the Radio premises and were thus expecting immediate
suspension.  

Acting on their own initiative, staff from regime-controlled Radio
Lazarevac last night changed editorial policy and began reporting on
DOS activities including the call for a general strike and civil
disobedience, Beta reports today.   

NEWSPAPER THEFT IN BOR

BOR, 30.9.2000. - Unknown thieves stole all issues of dailies Glas
javnosti and Danas in front of the Borba offices in Bor today. The
complete circulation of Vecernje novosti, Sport and several other
weeklies obtained by the same distributor were also stolen. An
irrelevant number of these journals transported by another private
distributor appeared at newsstands where they were sold within fifteen
minutes. Belgrade daily Blic has not appeared on the street of Bor for
the past two days. One citizen, so disgusted by the lack of
independent newspapers, bought all issues of  regime controlled
Politika and Politika ekspres and destroyed them in public, Beta
reports.

RADIO LAZAREVAC STARTS BROADCASTING NEWS ON DOS

LAZAREVAC, 1.10.2000. - Acting on their own initiative, Radio
Lazarevac employees changed the editorial policy of the radio station
on Friday night and started informing its listeners about Democratic
Opposition of Serbia activities and the call for a general strike and
civil disobedience. Several thousands of Lazarevac citizens joined
yesterday's rally in the center of the town in protest at the
non-recognition of Vojisalv Kostunica's victory in the first round of
the elections.      

The rally participants gathered in front of Radio Lazarevac to show
support to the radio's employees, Beta reports today. 

TELEVISION SMEDEREVO DIRECTOR RESIGNS

SMEDEREVO, 1.10.2000. - Around three thousand Smederevo citizens
blocked the traffic in the center of the town for more than two and a
half hours on Saturday night demanding the resignation of local
television station director and editor-in-chief Aleksandar Guberinic.
The citizens of Smederevo demanded Guberinic's resignation because of
the ban on the broadcasting of Friday's rally. Lead by Otpor members,
the citizens of Smederevo protested in front of the television
building on Friday night until, after negotiations, Guberinic allowed
the broadcasting of the rally. Shortly after the beginning of the
broadcast, Smederevo's citizens left the television yard, and
Guberenic immediately ordered the broadcast to stop. After last
night's blockade of the town, Smederevo Municipality President and
Smederevo Television Managing Board President Bojan Ilic declared that
he had accepted the resignation of Aleksandar Guberic.  During the pre
election campaign Guberinic did not allow Smederevo Democratic
Opposition of Serbia representative Milorad Savicevic on Radio
Smederevo, he forbade any mention of the Alliance for Change or of
Otpor and refused the broadcasting of paid information on DOS
presidential candidate Vojislav Kostunica's visit to Smederevo.

POLICE SEIZE INTERNA TELEVISION BROADCASTING EQUIPMENT 

ZAJECAR, 2.10.2000. - Zajecar police escorted by several Serbian
Socialist Party members yesterday seized Interna television
broadcasting equipment in the Kotlujevac suburb, eyewitnesses told
Beta today. TV Interna, which is a private cable TV station broadcast
only entertainment programmes. Several inhabitants of the Zajecar
suburb told Beta that the Interna television equipment had been seized
because of the Socialist government's fears that the television might
begin broadcasting the programmes of independent media.

POZAREVAC TV DUGA BROADCASTS CALL FOR STRIKE

POZAREVAC, 02.10.2000. - Pozarevac Television Duga for the first time
on Saturday evening started broadcasting a call for the citizens and
students of Pozarevac schools to join the general strike, Beta reports
today. Three inspectors entered the premises of TV Duga at around 8.15
p.m. bringing an abrupt halt to the broadcast. TV Duga is a local
private television station.

STUDIO B EMPLOYEES JOIN STRIKE

BELGRADE, 02.10.2000. - Around 90 employees and contributors of Radio
Television Studio B announced yesterday that they would begin
industrial action as of Monday at 7 a.m., FoNet reports today. The
employees also appealed to the management to begin urgent,
professional, impartial and full informing of the public about the
current events in Belgrade and the whole country. The Studio B
employees demanded the right to inform professionally, without delay
and pressure and without the presence of the police in their premises.
The employees stated that until their demands were met they would
carry on with 30 percent of the legal minimum of work, which meant
that the television would broadcast short news bulletins every 60
minutes followed by the broadcasting of music videos, and the radio
would broadcast only music.

SOMBOR TV DISABLED DURING PROTEST

SOMBOR, 2.10.2000. - More than 4, 000 Sombor citizens protested in the
town center on Sunday evening against the presidential election fraud,
Beta reports today. Sombor President and Democratic Opposition of
Serbia coordinator Goran Gajevic called on all those gathered in the
town center to walk to the local television station which he described
as being responsible for spreading brutal lies during the pre election
campaign. Beta reports that an electricity cable was cut during the
protest thus disabling the further work of the television station.

RTV KRUSEVAC: BALLOT PAPERS IN GARBAGE CONTAINER 

KRUSEVAC, 02.10.2000. - Radio Television Krusevac yesterday joined the
appeal for an immediate change in state television's editorial policy
by refusing to rebroadcast Radio Television Serbia news programmes.
Radio Television Krusevac journalist Zarko Nikolic told B2-92 today
that the viewers had taken a special interest in the RTV Krusevac
report showing pictures of ballot papers, with the name of Vojislav
Kostunica circled, found in a garbage container near the local
Municipal Assembly.

G17 PLUS DEMANDS ACCESS TO STATE MEDIA 

BELGRADE, 02.10.2000. - Belgrade's non-governmental organisation G17
Plus yesterday demanded that the management of Radio Television
Serbia, BK Television, Politika and Studio B allow the group of
experts to inform the public about the election results and the
economic circumstances in the country, Beta reports today. A letter
sent to the media demanded that G17 Plus experts Miroljub Labus and
Mladjan Dinkic be permitted to appear on television on Sunday or
Monday in order to address the public about the current situation as
regards the election results, the increase in the exchange rate of the
German mark and the realisation of the Energy For Democracy project.
The letter also called on journalists, technicians and administrative
workers of the televisions to act according to their conscience and to
join the strike if the directors and editor-in-chiefs did not allow
G17 Plus experts to appear in the programme at a crucial moment in the
future of all Yugoslav citizens.

CALL TO RADIO TELEVISION SERBIA COLLEAGUES TO DISOBEY

NOVI SAD, 2.10.2000. - The Radio Television Serbia Novi Sad branch
Strike Board yesterday called on all Radio Television Serbia employees
to disobey the management of the media house and resist the production
of false information which Radio Television Serbia broadcasts every
day. 'We call on all Radio Television Serbia employees throughout
Serbia, from cleaners, coffee makers, journalists, montagers,
directors, sound technicians, cameramen, editors and announcers to
disobey and resist Radio Television Serbia's editorial policy', Strike
Board member and journalist Tajtana Vojtehovski-Nestorov said
yesterday. Vojtehovski-Nestorov added that the board had demanded the
replacement of the Television Novi Sad management with the exception
of the Hungarian, Slovakian, Romanian and Rusinski language
editor-in-chiefs because they had 'informed objectively'. The Strike
Board members were all given their notice on Friday, signed by Radio
Television Serbia Director General Dragoljub Milanovic. The Strike
Board has received a telegram of support from the families of the
Radio Television Serbia employees who were killed in the NATO bombing
of Yugoslavia last year.                 

VECERNJE NOVOSTI JOURNALISTS DEMAND UNBIASED REPORTING 

BELGRADE, 02.10.2000. - A group of 50 journalists employed by
regime-controlled Belgrade daily Vecernji novosti today demanded that
the daily's editorial board immediately change its policy and begin
unbiased reporting of the current events in the country. Beta reports
that the journalists have given the board 24 hours to implement a
return to the elementary ethical and professional principles of
journalism after which time they will take more drastic measures.

EIGHT LOCAL RADIO STATIONS CEASE RTS REBROADCASTS

BELGRADE, 02.10.2000. - Eight local radio stations in Serbia have in
the last 24 hours informed the Democratic Opposition of Serbia press
center that they have ceased broadcasting Radio Television Serbia
programmes. Radio Obrenovac, Radio Smederevo, Radio Novi Becej, Radio
Zajecar, Radio Lazarevac, Radio Mladenovac and Radio Sremcica, all of
which were government-controlled until the elections, stated that in
the future they would inform the citizens of all events objectively
and that they fully supported the citizens in their general civil
disobedience.

RADIO BELGRADE'S THIRD CHANNEL FOR INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION 

BELGRADE, 02.10.2000. - Fourteen members of the editorial team of
regime-controlled Radio Belgrade's third channel issued a statement
today in which they called on international mediators to intervene in
the current post electoral crisis in the country. The statement also
urged all media, particularly state television to ensure conditions
for unbiased reporting of all political view points.

TV TIMOK STOPS REBROADCAST OF RTS NEWS PROGRAMMES 

ZAJECAR, 2.10.2000. - Local state-controlled Timok Television from
Zajecar today stopped rebroadcasting Radio Television Serbia news
programmes. This move came as a result of a petition signed by the
television station's journalists and editors demanding unbiased
reporting of current events in the region.

REGISTRATION OF GLAS JAVNOSTI FOUNDER MISSING

BELGRADE, 2.10.2000. - Glas javnosti editorial team stated yesterday
that after a number of attempts at obtaining an explanation as to why
the founder, publisher and printer of the daily could not gain receipt
of registration in the court register, Belgrade Business Court
President Milena Arezina had stated that the whole case had been lost
and could not be found. The statement estimates, along with the
question as to whether this is a matter of neglect or manipulation on
the part of Belgrade's Business Court, that avoiding registration of
the company is an attempt to block the work of the daily and its
printing house.         

JIRI DIENSTBIR MEETS INDEPENDENT JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

BELGRADE, 2.10.2000. - Special UN Rapporteur for Human Rights in the
former Yugoslavia Jiri Dienstbir met Association of Independent
Journalists of Serbia Executive Board members on Sunday, Beta reports
today. The statement said that Dinstbir had been informed about the
condition of the two imprisoned journalists, Miroslav Filipovic and
Zoran Lukovic as well as about the repression independent media and
journalists had been exposed to both prior to and after the federal
elections.  Association representatives informed Dienstbir about the
threats to foreign journalists during the coverage of the election
results and the expulsion of foreign correspondents from Yugoslavia.

MATROZ QUITS DELIVERING NEWSPRINT TO REGIME NEWSPAPERS

SREMSKA MITROVICA, 3.10.2000. - Matroz, the only paper plant in
Yugoslavia has decided to quit newsprint deliveries to dailies under
regime control, an ANEM correspondent reports today. A statement
issued by the Matroz union today stated that although the union was
not politically oriented, its members wished to show solidarity with
all the citizens of Yugoslavia in expressing civil disobedience until
the elections had been recognized and the results established and
justly declared. The statement said that the company's work would be
reduced to essential levels only and that if required it would bring a
halt to all deliveries in order avoid participation in the spreading
of misinformation by the dailies which printed on their paper.

PRISTINA RTS STOPS BROADCASTING

PROKUPLJE, 3.10.2000. - A group of demonstrators who have been
protesting in Prokuplje since early yesterday morning entered the
building housing Pristina Radio Television Serbia and Radio Toplica
studios at 3 p.m. today. The group of around 50 demonstrators entered
the building thus bringing the broadcasting of regular programmes to
an abrupt halt. The message "DOS - Free Toplica' was broadcast for a
brief time until a power cut brought an end to all broadcasts.
According to Serbian Renewal Movement representative Aleksandar
Djordjevic, the opposition supporters left the premises and the radio
and TV technical equipment was locked. Broadcasting did not resume
when the power was returned. The Pristina Radio Television Serbia
studio was moved to Prokuplje in June last year, Beta reports.

RADIO BELGRADE EMPLOYEES DEMAND NEW EDITORIAL POLICY

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - Sixty eight Radio Television Serbia employees
from Radio Belgrade today demanded an immediate change in editorial
policy. Sixty eight journalists, editors, musical artists and
administrative workers from Radio Belgrade signed the demand calling
for the immediate recognition of the federal election results in which
the people had expressed their will for democratic changes. The
employees demanded an urgent change in Radio Belgrade editorial policy
and the immediate return to the principle of objective informing. The
demand stated that the image of the situation in the country and the
world, which Radio Belgrade had created through its informative
programmes was one-sided, distorted and thus not true. The demand also
said that although the damage had already been done and could not be
repaired, the only action they could take was to establish an
immediate editorial change, Beta reports.

175 STATE MEDIA JOURNALISTS RESPOND TO ASSOCIATION'S APPEAL

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - The Association of Independent Serbian
Journalists was today given 175 signatures from journalists employed
by Radio Television Serbia, Radio Belgrade and Politika who joined the
demands to respect the electoral will of the citizens. Association
Secretary Dragutin Rokovic told Beta that the support from the four
state media had come after the public call published in dailies Glas
javnosti and Danas. Rokovic said that 70 signatures had been collected
in TV Belgrade, 53 in Radio Belgrade and 20 in Nis Radio Television
Serbia. Rokovic also said that the Association had received a letter
from Politika in which 32 journalists and assistants had demanded that
the editor-in-chief of Politika quit the practice of one-sided
informing of the public and that the relevant forces in society gain
space on the pages of the daily. The Association of Independent
Serbian Journalists has made a public appeal to all regime media
journalists to show solidarity with civil resistance.              

RADIO NOVI SAD WORKERS DEMAND PROFESSIONAL INFORMING

NOVI SAD, 3.10.2000. - Around 130 Radio Novi Sad employees today sent
a demand to the RTV Novi Sad management to start objective informing
and professional reporting in accordance with the principles of the
journalist profession. The employees have given the management until
10 a.m. tomorrow to respond to their demands at which time they will
join the general strike if their demands are not met, FoNet reports.

UZICE RADIO TELEVISION SERBIA JOINS STRIKE

UZICE, 3.10.2000. - Uzice Radio Television Serbia today joined the
general strike because of a disagreement with the media's editorial
policy. A statement signed by around 20 employees from Uzice Radio
Television Serbia said that they had joined the strike because of a
disagreement with the editorial policy of the house and that they
would not return to work until they were able to inform professionally
and truthfully on the current events in Uzice and the Zlatibor region.
The statement stressed that their decision was not political in
nature, but was their contribution to the people's struggle for truth.

TANJUG PETITION FOR EDITORIAL POLICY CHANGE

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - 54 employees of the TANJUG state agency have
signed a petition demanding a change in editorial policy, FoNet
reports today. According to unofficial information, between 400 and
500 people are employed by TANJUG. The house management has begun
taking discipline measures as a result of the petition and journalist
Vladimir Gajic was 'removed from work' temporarily today pending a
final decision on his misconduct. Gajic was charged with disturbing
the work process and improper conduct. "My improper conduct and
disturbance of the work process is probably because I criticized the
editorial and business policy of the house in front of my colleagues
and TANJUG Deputy Director Dragoslav Micic today', Gajic stated.

VECERNJE NOVOSTI EMPLOYEES DEMANDS CUKIC'S RESIGNATION

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - A group of Vecernje novosti journalists today
demanded that daily editor-in-chief Dusan Cukic urgently bring an end
to "connecting its destiny with the interests of any narrow political
option". An open letter to Cukic, which was signed by around 100
journalists and assistants, demanded that he respect the people's will
and inform objectively on current affairs in the country, without
subterfuge or the falsification of events and facts. The Vecernje
novosti redaction team has informed their crisis headquarters that if
their demands are not met they will call for the immediate resignation
of Cukic's as well as that of his Deputy Ilija Zurovic and assistant
Ivan Pajdic. 'In the case of possible repression against any
individual, the redaction will give its full support to any threatened
member of staff and will consider it as revenge on all journalists and
Vecernje novosti readers', the employees stressed. 25 full time
workers and honorary assistants of Vecernje novosti Computer Center
stopped working today, Beta reports.

RADIO YUGOSLAVIA JOURNALISTS DEMAND EDITORIAL POLICY CHANGE

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - Radio Yugoslavia security staff today expelled
and confiscated the press pass belonging to radio business column
editor Mladen Bijelic because he had joined his colleagues in signing
the demand for an urgent change in Radio Yugoslavia's editorial
policy. Eight Radio Yugoslavia employees yesterday called on their
colleagues to resist the current editorial policy of the media house.
The director and editor-in-chief of Radio Yugoslavia is Ivan Markovic,
the Federal Minister for Telecommunications and JUL Senior official,
Beta reports.

SUBOTICA TV WORKER SACKED

SUBOTICA, 3.10.2000. - Subotica local TV technician Katarina Janjic
was removed from her job yesterday for broadcasting a call to
Subotica's citizens to unite in defending the electoral will of the
citizens during normal programming. Subotica TV Super is under Radio
Television Serbia ownership and its managers said that the
disciplinary commission would decide on Janic's case late yesterday.

RTS MUSIC PRODUCTION DIRECTOR SACKED

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - Radio Belgrade Director Milivije Pavlovic today
sacked Radio Television Serbia Music Production Director Branislava
Saper for signing an appeal to Radio Television Serbia's informative
programme editorial staff. The appeal, which was signed by 20 Radio
Television Serbia music production members, seven producers, fifteen
jazz orchestra members and fifty-two symphony orchestra members
demanded that Radio Television Serbia's informative programme enable
all participants in the elections to document the result they had',
FoNet reports.

MAJORITY OF STUDIO B EMPLOYEES ON STRIKE

BELGRADE, 3.10.2000. - More than 130 employees from Belgrade's Radio
Television Studio B have joined the general strike in protest at the
management of the media house's non fulfillment of their demands for
professional and objective informing of the citizens. Studio B union
representatives told a press conference yesterday  that they would
begin striking immediately and called on their colleagues from other
media houses to support their demands and to resist any possible
pressure on their work. Radio Studio B has been on strike since
Friday, broadcasting only music, Beta reports.        

KRALJEVO TV 10 ON STRIKE

KRALJEVO, 3.10.2000. - Around 20 journalists and technicians from
Kraljevo's private TV 10, which previously backed the Serbian
Socialist Party decided to join the general strike yesterday. TV 10
employees stated that their decision to strike was in protest at the
non-recognition of the people's electoral will. TV 10 is currently
rebroadcasting satellite programmes instead of its own.

JESIC: TV NOVI SAD NO LONGER EXISTS! 

NOVI SAD, 3.10.2000. - After yesterday's negotiations between a
delegation from the Democratic Opposition of Serbia and Otpor with the
editorial staff of Television Novi Sad, Novi Sad Otpor member Vladimir
Jesic told the citizens that Television Novi Sad no longer existed,
SRNA reports today. Jesic said that Radio Television Serbia broadcast
its programmes on this frequency from the Belgrade RTS studio, and
called on all employees of Belgrade's Radio Television Serbia to
finish what they had started in Novi Sad.

The citizens of Novi Sad entered Novi Sad Radio Television Serbia
studio at around 5 p.m. in order to demand the objective informing of
the public on the post electoral crisis in the country. Negotiations
between DOS, Otpor and Radio Television Novi Sad's editorial staff
were facilitated by the mediation of the local police.

TV ROSULJA WITHOUT TRANSMITTER 

VLASOTINCE, 4.10.2000. - During the night of October 3rd, between 2
and 3 a.m. the Federal Ministry of Telecommunications removed
Vlasotince TV Rosulja transmitter from the building, the television
editorial team reported today. Like the majority of private media in
Serbia, TV Rosulja had a two-year temporary license dating from 1998
and the television company had applied for an extension of the
contract with the Ministry. Without the knowledge or presence of
anybody from the editorial team, the building housing the link
receiver and modulator was broken into and the equipment confiscated.
The equipment belonging to mobile telephone company Mobtel, which was
in the same building, was dismantled at the same time.

TV Rosulja was the only television station in the Jablanica region
which presented party candidates and their programmes in paid terms
during the pre election campaign. TV Rosulja was removed from its
studio premises a month ago, but resumed broadcasting from another
location.

SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES 'LEGAL MEASURES' 

BELGRADE, 04.10.2000. - A Serbian Government session yesterday
presided by Mirko Marjanovic estimated that many foreign agencies were
continuing the special war against Yugoslavia in an attempt to cause
chaos in the country, threaten the citizens and prevent the normal
functioning of state institutions. Radio Television Serbia broadcast
the statement yesterday which went on to say that every subversive
activity which threatened the individual or material security of
Yugoslavia's citizens would be stopped in accordance with the law. The
statement said that the violent behavior of individuals and groups
which posed a threat to citizens' lives, making traffic impossible,
stopping normal work in factories, schools and medical care
institutions would be treated according to the law. The Government
threatened that 'legal measures' would be taken against the organizers
of such activities describing them as 'criminal'. The statement
concluded that the measures would affect those media financed from
abroad and those which spread lies and called for bloodshed.

ANNOUNCEMENTS OF NEW STRIKES IN STATE MEDIA

BELGRADE, 4.10.2000. - Partial strikes continued and new ones were
announced in state owned and pro regime media in Serbia yesterday
along with punishments for those employees who demanded the objective
informing of the public and recognition of the electoral victory of
Democratic Opposition of Serbia presidential candidate Vojislav
Kostunica. The majority of demands for an immediate change in
editorial policy were within the Radio Television Serbia system and
there were hunts for protests within the Politika media house. Around
150 employees from Radio Novi Sad, which works within Radio Television
Serbia, joined the strike at 10 a.m. on Tuesday when their management
refused to meet demands for an editorial policy change and the
objective informing of current events in the country following the
federal electoral fraud. Radio Novi Sad informative programme editor
Bojana Karavidic stated that despite the strike, the station still
broadcast programmes thanks to a 'group of slaves'. Beta reports that
Radio Novi Sad programmes broadcast in languages of the national
minorities were canceled following an order from Belgrade Radio
Television Serbia central offices, which is the first case of such an
order being issued since the Second World War. TV Novi Sad, whose
programming was stopped under pressure of mass demonstrations on
Monday, resumed broadcasting this morning in the spirit of the current
editorial policy. Around one hundred employees from Novi Sad daily
Dnevnik, founded by the Vojvodina Parliament, demanded that the
management of the daily immediately start objectively informing on
current events in the country. Nine journalists from Belgrade Radio
202 also demanded a change in editorial policy stressing that 'the lie
is not smaller if it is told in a moderate form, and the truth stops
existing if nobody tells it'. RTS music production employees stated
that they had quit working in protest at the replacement of their
director Branislava Saper. Saper was replaced on Monday, after the
Music production team's appeal to RTS informative programme editorial
staff to enable all participants in the elections to declare and
document publicly the results they had. Yesterday's appeal by the
Music production team was joined today by conductors and around ten
musicians from several orchestras within Radio Television Serbia
production. Nis Radio Television Serbia regional center stopped
broadcasting at around 2 p.m. yesterday in response to the protest of
around one thousand Nis citizens, who demanded an end to Belgrade RTS
rebroadcasting. Nis RTS stopped broadcasting its programmes two days
ago and since then only the first RTS channel has been broadcast. More
than twenty employees from Nis RTS joined demands for the recognition
of Kostunica's victory in the recent federal elections. The majority
of employees in Valjevo RTS demanded that the management of the state
television change the editorial policy urgently. A group of 18 RTS
editors of cultural, entertainment and artistic programmes demanded
that the Serbian Parliament replace RTS General Director Dragoljub
Milanovic, all programme editor-in-chiefs, expert services directors
and all those with higher levels of responsibility who influenced RTS
editorial policy. The letter sent to the President of the Serbian
Parliament stated that having considered the seriousness of the
current situation, the replacement of these individuals should be the
main priority of the Serbian Parliament which was the founder of Radio
Television Serbia.  Radio Yugoslavia journalists Yugoslavia Siroka and
Vuksan Dabetic, who had signed the demand for the radio station's
editorial policy change were physically removed from the Radio
Yugoslavia building on Tuesday. The director and editor-in-chief of
Radio Yugoslavia is Ivan Markovic who is also a Yugoslav Left senior
official and former Federal Minister of Telecommunications.

DEAFENING NOISE IN BELGRADE DURING RTS CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - In the majority of Belgrade's municipalities the
citizens have started making a deafening noise at around 7.30 p.m.
when Radio Television Serbia's current affairs programme is broadcast.
The citizens whistle and bang on pots and other metal objects. The
citizens of Vracar, Vozdovac and Novi Beograd municipalities are
reported to be the loudest in expressing their protest at the state
media's misrepresentation of post electoral events.

RTS EMPLOYEES ANNOUNCE STRIKE, RTS UNION AGAINST STRIKE

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - Radio Television Serbia production technicians
for the informative programme announced yesterday that they would
cease work at 10 a.m. on Thursday if their colleagues from the
informative programme did not start informing the public honestly and
timely, Beta reports today. A letter sent to Radio Television Serbia
informative programme editor-in-chief Milorad Komrakov  demanded that
all informative programme editors and journalists who still
participated in biased informing to cancel their obedience and join
their colleagues in dissociating themselves from the editorial policy
creators. The letter stressed that as professionals, the technicians
felt that the editorial policy forced demands which prevented any form
of professional expression and satisfaction.

The Radio Television Serbia Union described the announcement made by
state television employees that they would join the strike if the
editorial policy were not changed as 'a political demand' thus
refusing to met their demands.

POLITIKA ON THE GENERAL STRIKE

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - Politika employees last night called on all
employees of the media house to gather again on Thursday at noon in
the hall of the media house building to vote on whether to join the
general strike. The gathering of Politika employees was held in the
Media Center because of Politika director and editor-in-chief Hadzi
Dragan Antic's failure to respond to the employees demand to hold the
gathering on their premises.

Former Politika editor-in-chiefs Bosko Jaksic, Momcilo Pantelic and
Vojin Partonic, yesterday appealed to the media house's management to
balance the editorial policy with the reality in the country and the
basic rules of journalism in order to prevent conflict in the country.
A letter sent to Politika director and editor-in-chief Hadzi Dragan
Antic, the media house's Managing Board President Dragan Tomic and
Politika Stockholders Assembly President Jara Ribnkar stressed that
the editorial policy be in accordance with the mood of the people
expressed at the federal elections. Jaksic, Pantelic and Partonic
wrote that Politika was expected to show objectivity and balance in
its best tradition, not to obey supporter's passions and selectivity
in order to be a reliable informative fulcrum of democratic life. They
also expressed the belief that their position would be supported by
the Managing board and Politika's AD Stockholders Assembly.

VECERNJE NOVOSTI EMPLOYEES GIVE MANAGEMENT DEADLINE

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - Vecernje novosti employees yesterday gave the
daily management three days in which to change editorial policy or
they would join the general strike. The employees statement stressed
that urgent changes in the one sided informing were essential since
the daily had been in the service of the narrowest political interests
for too long.

DNEVNIK MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC PUBLIC

NOVI SAD, 5.9.2000. - The management and employees of Novi Sad daily
Dnevnik and magazines published within the house yesterday expressed
their support for the demands made by the democratic public in
establishing the truth of the presidential election results. Dnevnik,
whose founder is the Vojvodina Parliament, changed its editorial
policy yesterday publishing on its front page several reports on
strikes and protests in Vojvodina and Serbia caused by the
non-recognition of DOS candidate Vojislav Kostunica's victory in the
presidential elections.

NIS RTS EMPLOYEES TOLD TO GO HOME

NIS, 5.9.2000. - Nis Radio Television Serbia studio employees were
told on arrival at work yesterday morning to go home since the branch
would not work until further notice. Nis RTS studio security chief
told the employees to ask branch office chief Sladjana Stamenkovic for
an explanation. Stamenkovic told the employees that she could not give
them a written explanation as to why they would not work, because she
was waiting for the position of her superiors. Nis RTS studio ceased
broadcasting on Tuesday in response to citizens demands and after the
proclamation of around twenty Nis studio employees who demanded the
respect of the citizens will and the objective informing on current
events in the country.

VALJEVO RTS EMPLOYEES SACKED

VALJEVO, 5.9.2000. - Valjevo Radio Television Serbia studio
editor-in-chief Slobodan Rankovic along with a further 39 studio
programme workers yesterday receive their notice from the studio.
Rankovic's notice, signed by Radio Television Serbia General Director
Dragoljub Milanovic stated that the reason for his dismissal was not
coming to work for five consecutive days. When the citizens of Valjevo
learnt about the dismissals, several hundreds of them gathered in
support for the sacked workers. Around ten policemen were reported to
be present around the studio building as security.

RADIO NOVI SAD CONTINUES PROGRAM IN SLOVAKIAN 

NOVI SAD, 5.9.2000. - The editorial team of Radio Novi Sad's Slovakian
language programme has decided to continue work since the program is
the only electronic media in Vojvodina which covers almost the whole
territory of the province, a statement form the meeting held on
Wednesday stressed, Beta reports today. The statement said that should
the objective informing of the programme in Slovakian be prevented,
the members would immediately cease work.

DEMAND TO SUBOTICA TV CENTRE TO CHANGE EDITORIAL POLICY

SUBOTICA, 5.9.2000. - Thirty-two employees from Subotica TV centre
yesterday demanded that the Managing Board reconsider the editorial
policy of the informative house. The demand stated that current
editorial policy prevented them from informing the public objectively,
stressing that if their demands were not met they would be forced to
join the general strike.

SUBOTICA TV SUPER CEASES BROADCASTING 

SUBOTICA, 5.9.2000. - Milutin Mitric, Subotica local TV Super
Director, which worked within Radio Televsion Serbia, announced
yesterday that all broadcasting would cease. MTV programmes were
broadcast on the television channel on Wednesday afternoon. TV Super
editor-in-chief Savo Duvnjak, who was appointed to this position a
month ago, resigned on Wednesday afternoon, Beta reports today.

RADIO S JOURNALISTS CEASE WORK

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - A group of editors, journalists and workers from
Radio S yesterday expressed their solidarity with other media house
colleagues and the citizens of Serbia who had joined the general
strike because of the recent election fraud. The employees' public
statement given to Radio B2-92 stated that the employees refused to
participate in the biased informing and misrepresentation of
information as instructed by their media house.

MINISTRY OF INFORMATION ON 'A CERTAIN NUMBER OF MEDIA'

BELGRADE, 5.9.2000. - The Yugoslav Ministry of Information yesterday
accused a certain number of media in the country of reporting and
giving different kinds of statements which misinformed the public in
the country thus causing disturbance and unease in the citizens. The
Ministry told such media to respect their legal obligation to
honestly, timely and completely inform the public thus respecting the
inviolability of human dignity.

REPORTERS CONDEMN RESIGNATIONS AND SUSPENSION OF JOURNALISTS 

PARIS, 5.9.2000. - Reporters Sans Frontiers protested yesterday at the
sacking and suspension of journalists working in the state controlled
media in Yugoslavia, Beta reports today. The letter sent to Yugoslav
Minister for Information Goran Matic stated that the government was
removing journalists from state media who demanded objective and
professional informing. Reporters Sans Frontiers stressed the case of
the temporary suspension of three journalists from the state owned
TANJUG agency who had started a petition demanding the respect of
ethics and the broadcast of complete information regarding the
election results.

TV MONTENEGRO JAMMED FROM YUGOSLAV TERRITORY

PODGORICA, 6.10.2000. - Television Montenegro stated today that its
satellite program has been jammed by a strong device from Serbian
territory for the past few days, Beta reports. Montenegrin television
showed what the jamming looked like in its central informative program
Dnevnik. When the images from Belgrade were shown i.e. images of the
Democratic Opposition of Serbia demonstrations and DOS leader
statements, there was jamming of both the sound and image, but when
Slobodan Milosevic's speeches were broadcast, the jamming stopped and
everything was fine. TV Montenegro stated that the jamming occurred
every time a story which did not suit the Belgrade regime was
broadcast. TV Montenegro's satellite programme is rebroadcast by more
than thirty Serbian municipal television stations.

RTS WORKERS JOIN GENERAL STRIKE

BELGRADE, 06.10.2000 - Radio Television Serbia workers are on general
strike from today and demand a change in editorial policy as well as
the replacement of the television management along with director
Dragoljub Milanovic, former RTS editor and Strike Board President
Miodrag Zupanc stated yesterday. Beta reports. At a meeting in
Belgrade's Dusko Radovic Theater, where around 300 workers were
present, Zupanc stated that the workers demanded all employees stop
working, the annulment of all resignations and suspensions the workers
had received over the last several years, and the return to work of
all workers who were on forced vacation. The television workers also
demanded that the television stop broadcasting immediately claiming
that the state television programmes would be stopped that afternoon.
It was announced that all workers demands would be read at the DOS
meeting in front the Federal Parliament which all employees would
attend. Zoran Petrovic-Pirocanac, former RTS journalist said that the
television workers had not forgotten that Milanovic, Tatjana Lenard,
Milorad Komrakov and Jovan Ristic were responsible for the deaths of
16 journalists belonging to the house. The RTS workers protest ended
at 10 a.m. yesterday with a gathering near the monument erected in
honour of the colleagues killed in last year's NATO bombing of the RTS
building in Aberdareva Street.

COMPLETE CHANGE OF MEDIA IMAGE IN SERBIA 

BELGRADE, NOVI SAD, CACAK, JAGODINA, MLADENOVAC, LESKOVAC, 6.10.1999.
- Belgrade TV stations Pink, Kosava, Palma and all three Radio
Television Serbia channels stopped broadcasting their programmes
yesterday afternoon. After demonstrators burst into the Politika
building, the television station started to inform on events on the
Belgrade streets, and DOS leaders Zarko Korac and Slobodan Orlion were
the first guests to appear on the first programme broadcast on 'Free
Politika' yesterday evening. The Politika strike board announced a
'free' issue of the newspapers on Friday. BK TV also informed the
public about the protests in Serbia, and TV Novi Sad broadcast
information that this television belonged to the people once again.

New television Vracar started broadcasting unedited footage of the
events in front of the Federal Parliament building. 

A team of journalists who had been forced to leave the television
station in May when the city TV was seized by the Serbian Government
resumed broadcasting from Belgrade TV Studio B. Studio B news was read
by Marko Jankovic, who worked for the media house for many years. He
addressed the citizens saying that free studio B would remain with the
citizens in the future. Jankovic thanked the citizens for coming in
such large numbers to defend what they had already won with their
ballot papers.

Demonstrators entered Radio B92 premises, which had also been seized
by the regime. The team which was present in the radio premises
withdrew peacefully, and the Radio B2-92 crew from the original B92
resumed broadcasting programmes at the radio's original frequency of
92,5 MHz.

Belgrade daily Vecernje novosti journalist Biljana Nikolic today
called on all those participating in demonstrations in Belgrade not to
demolish the building housing the daily since Vecernje novosti was now
free. Nikolic told Beta that all employees from the daily who were on
strike yesterday, entered the building today and made it free.
According to Nikolic, the daily editor-in-chief Dusan Cukic and
management members Ilija Zurovac and Ivan Pajic had left the building.

The TANJUG agency stated that it was with the people of its country
and that from now on, would inform only on the grounds of professional
principles. The statement signed by the  'journalists of free TANJUG'
added that the agency would inform 'truly and objectively, in
accordance with the fundamental interests of the people and the
country. The TANJUG agency addressed Vojislav Kostunica as
'President-elect Vojislav Kostunica'.

All Radio Television Serbia channels began new programming at 9.20
yesterday evening. The programming was opened by Radio Television
Serbia cultural editor Bojan Bosiljcic who told the viewers that this
was their television. Bosiljic announced Vojislav Kostunica as a
forthcoming guest on RTS programmes addressing him as the newly
elected Yugoslavian President. Bosiljcic also said that reports from
radios B2-92 and Index would be used on all RTS channels. The first
guest on new RTS was one of the leaders of the Democratic Opposition
of Serbia, Nebojsa Covic        

RTS informative programme editor Zeljko Avramovic who left the
television building on Thursday when the demonstrators burnt it,
stated that he felt safe and sound. "My school friend dragged me out
of the RTS building", Avramovic told Beta adding that all he wanted
now was a good sleep. Around 30 uniformed and armed persons entered
the Radio Television Serbia building in Belgrade at around 2 p.m.
yesterday. A further 30 were placed around the building preventing
anyone from entering or leaving the premises.       

TV Novi Sad Director Milan Todorov today met with Novi Sad City
Council representatives to inform them that he had returned to TV Novi
Sad to the citizens of the town. Todorov said that all strikers who
had been sacked had returned to the TV station to prepare programmes
which would belong to Novi Sad and the citizens of Vojvodina.

>From 4 p.m. on Thursday the RTS transmitter on Ovcar Mount near Cacak
stopped broadcasting the first and the second channels of Radio
Television Serbia. Cacak local media reported that a group of Cacak
citizens had seized the RTS transmitter on Ovcar Mount thus making RTS
program broadcasting impossible.

Jagodina Democratic Opposition of Serbia supporters entered Radio
Television Serbia Jagodina branch at around 6 p.m. 

The commander of police forces in the outer Belgrade suburb of
Mladenovac, Miroslav Antic, this afternoon congratulated
representatives of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia on their
victory and gave them the keys to TV Mladenovac, which police had
seized and put under regime control on May 17. According to
information from the local magazine Pecat, DOS members were in the
television premises attempting to resume broadcasts.      

DOS representatives also entered Leskovac Local regime controlled
television yesterday. As radio B2-92 correspondent reports, the
television Director Aleksandar Davnic, who was a member of the Serbian
Socialist Party, left the television premises to whistles and jeering
from the crowd gathered outside. DOS representatives entered the
television building at around 2 p.m. demanding that Davinic leave the
building immediately, and the employees begin informing according to
the journalist code. The editorial team agreed with the demand,
Davinic signed his resignation, followed by a celebration of around
20, 000 Leskovac citizens.

FATHER OF KILLED RTS WORKER ACCUSES MILANOVIC AND RISTIC 

BELGRADE, 6.10.2000. - Kuzman Stoimenovski, the father of Darko
Stoimenovski who was killed during the NATO bombing of the radio
Television Serbia building last year, tonight accused Radio Television
Serbia General Director Dragoljub Milanovic and one of the media house
directors Jovan Ristic of being responsible for the deaths of 16 state
television employees. Reacting to the news published by daily Danas
today that Milanovic and Ristic had known twelve hours before the
bombing that the building would be bombed, Stoimenkoviski told Beta
that he believed that the two RTS heads were murderers and criminals.
"So, I completely believe the news, they are murderers and they shall
rot in a dungeon. They are murderers and criminals. If they are not
criminals and the murderers of my son and the other state television
employees, let them prove it in front of the parents and the courts',
Stoimenkovski said.    

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