In einem erz�rnten Schreiben erinnern die “Reporter ohne Grenzen” den Direktor des Vjesnik (Franjo Maletic op.z.p.) daran, dass Peratovic gerade f�r seine Recherchen mit hohen internationalen Auszeichnungen bedacht wurde, darunter auch dem der eigenen Organsiation (er bekam den Press Freedom Award 2003). Slobodan Snajder, Wissen ist Ohnmacht

Reporter ohne Grenzen �sterreich

Reporter ohne Grenzen �sterreich ist eine regierungsunabh�ngige Menschenrechtsorganisation mit Beraterstatus bei Europarat, UN-Menschenrechtskommission, UNESCO und seit 2002 bei den Vereinten Nationen in Wien als Repr�sentant f�r Reporter ohne Grenzen International akkreditiert.

Press Freedom Award – Signal f�r Europa 2003


Aus Laudatio auf Zeljko Peratovic

Norbert Mappes-Niediek

Norbert Mappes-Niediek im Festsaal des Palais Schwarzenberg/foto Monika Morawetz f�r ROG

Diese Umgebung hat den Texten von Zeljko Peratovic, so paradox es klingt, die besondere Wirkung gegeben. Sie wirkten auf den Seiten der Wochenbl�itter anfangs wie eingeschmuggelt. Hier war man doch gewohnt zu lesen, was der Durchschnittskroate dachte! Und dann so etwas!

Nat�rlich ist Zeljko Peratovic rasch und dann immer wieder des nationalen Verrats bezichtigt worden. Dabei hat er mit seinen Enth�llungen mehr f�r Kroatien getan als so mancher so genannte Kriegsheld. Kroatien war, nachdem es sich �ber die Taten der eigenen Leute in Gospic emp�rt hatte, von einer Kriegspartei zu einer Nation geworden. Erst jetzt war Kroatien ein gesellschaftliches Ganzes, namlich ein Wesen, das sich aus Gut und B�se, aus rechts und links zusammensetzte. Nationen entstehen nicht durch Beschworung.

Vierzig Jahre lang etwa haben die Machthabenden der DDR dem Volkeinzureden versucht, es sei eine neue, sozialistische Nation. Aber weil dieser Gesellschaft das abgetrennte rechte Bein nicht nachwachsen durfte, konnte das Gebilde nie aufrecht und sicher stehen. Umgekehrt war aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, dessen Volk sich ja nach dem Willen sei ner M�chtigen immer nur als halbe Nation verstehen sollte, in dem Moment aus einer kalten Kriegspartei zu einer Nation geworden, als ihr in der Studentenbewegung des Jahres 1968 das abgetrennte linke Bein nachwuchs. Sie sehen: die eigentlichen Nationsgr�nder sind nicht die, die sich darur halten. Und sie bleiben meistens unhedankt.

Wir m�gen versucht sein, in Zeljko Peratovic auch den ganzen unabh�ngigen Joumalismus zu ehren, in ihm also auch ein bisschen uns selbst. Ich m�chte davor warmen. Wir m�ssen hier vor allem ein Lob der Treue und der Sturheit singen, und das sind keine journalistischen Tugenden.

Zeljko hat ihm zugehort und sich sein Anliegen nach und nach zu eigen gemacht ohne die kritische Distanz zu seiner Quelle je aufzugeben. Es geh�rte auch f�r die Chefredaktion des Globus anfangs einiger Mut dazu, die Texte von Zeljko zu ver�ffenlichen…

Aus Peratovic Net – Brief f�r Medienabteilung Kroatischer Helsinki Ausschu�

Als Zeljko wegen der Zensur des Hauptredakteurs Mirko Galic die Zeitschrift �Globus� verlassen musste, hat Milan einen Brief an das Helsinki Komitee geschrieben, in dem er die Meinungsaeusserungs – und Pressefreiheit verteidigte…

2+3/04: Die �sterreichische Journalistin

Signal F�r Europa. Reporter ohne Grenzen / �sterreich zeichnet unbequeme Journalisten aus dem ehemaligen Jugoslawien aus

Aufgearbeitet. Zeljko Peratovic ist einer der ersten Journalisten aus einem Nachfolgestaat der ehemaligen Republik Jugoslawien, der offen und ausf�hrlich �ber die Kriegsverbrechen der eigenen Seite berichtet hatte. Er schrieb Anfang der 90-Jahre in den kroatischen Wochenzeitungen “Nacional” und “Globus” �ber jene Gr�uel, die kroatische Truppen 1991 in der nord-dalmatischen Kleinstadt Gospic an Serben begangen hatte. Er schrieb dies in einer Zeit, in der 80 Prozent der Bev�lkerung der Meinung waren, dass es keine kroatischen Kriegsverbrechen im Rahmen der “Abwehr serbischer Aggression” gegeben haben k�nne. Es war ein Augenzeugen in Gospic, der Zeljko Peratovic auf die Spur gebracht hatte. Milan Levar, der sp�ter auch offen vor dem Haager Tribunal gesprochen hatte. Im Jahr 2000 wurde er deshalb zuhause in Kroatien ermordet. Auch Zeljko Peratovic wurde wegen seiner Artikel in Zagreb von einem durch die Justiz unbehelligt gebliebenen Kriegsverbrecher k�rperlich attackiert. Den Zeitungen, f�r die er damals schrieb, wurde er schlie�lich l�stig. Zeljko Peratovic wurde entlassen. Heute schreibt er f�r die Tageszeitung “Vjesnik”.

Aus draxblogIII: Changes in Croatian Blogosphere

�eljko Peratović (Zeljko Peratovic), one of few Croatian
journalists who also happens to be regular blogger, just got fired from Vjesnik
because he breeched contract by publishing an interview for Feral Tribune.
Peratović claims that there was political background for that decision.

und aus THE rabble.ca DISCUSSION FORUM

Topic: I got fired from my daily Vjesnik, Zagreb, Croatia

und aus 45 lines:Why I will be fired from Vjesnik

When Zeljko Peratovic came back from his holiday at the beginning of September 2004., main editor of �Vjesnik�, Andrea Latinovic, told him publicly in editorial office that his writing was getting rebuking, and that similar complaints was getting director of �Vjesnik�, Franjo Maletic. She said that Tomislav Karamarko called her, at that time joint owner of security firm Soboli Ltd., and he announced law sue against �Vjesnik�, because Peratovic wrote in one text in that newspaper about possibility that Karamarko became chief of all secret services. He also wrote that Karamarko was on holidays in his summerhouse on Mljet that summer. The main editor of �Vjesnik� said to Peratovic that Karamarko didn’t have summerhouse on Mljet and that was untruth, the same thing was if she wrote that Peratovic was murder. She also added that agains Peratovic protested Mate Basic from Australia. She warned that she decided to go for a lunch with Tomislav Karamarko, to try to prevent Karamarko from filing charges against �Vjesnik�. After few days, Andrea Latinovic informed Peratovic publicly in editorial office that she went for a lunch with Tomislav Karamarko and they talked for five hours about Peratovic and that Karamarko said a lot of things about Peratovic. Tomislav Karamarko is professional policeman and intelligence agent (he was chief of Zagreb’s police, superintendent of UNS (Office for National Security), and now he is chief of POA). Peratovic met him only once in 1998. in restaurant owned by Zvonimir Trusic, on Remetinec. Because of those facts, Peratovic categoricaly claims that Tomislav Karamarko was talking to Andrea Latinovic about his professional cognitions about the journalist, what he shouldn’t do, regardless of accuracy of the informations, because that was prohibited to him by Law of protection of informations and Law of security services. That had disagreeably consequences for Peratovic.

VI

Editorial office of �Vjesnik� more rarely published texts of Zeljko Peratovic, even under censorship were those texts which was ordered by editorship. The explanation why his texts were not published he didn’t get, except once editor of internal politics, Marijana Matkovic for text about Damir Jukica, one of onetime highly positioned functionaries of POA, who in interview for weekly magazine �Nacional� (attachement 3.1) confirmed presenting of Presentation of chief of POA, Franjo Turek, to the top of the state about hostile activity of journalists, said that text wasn’t published because it was based on compilation of somebody else’s texts and it was full of incorrectnesses. That explanation she filled up with remarks that in his texts could never be seen the source. That was repeted to Peratovic on meeting in January 2005. with main editor Andrea Latinovic, her deputy, Marijana Matkovic and assistant of main editor, Zoran Vodopija.

VII Considering that identical evaluation about writing of this journalist is in Information of former chief of POA since 16.10.2004. (attachement 3), Peratovic claims that editorship of �Vjesnik� was illegaly informed with opinion of POA about his way of working. That statement is supported by evaluation that till the end of 2004. Peratovic extremely professionaly cooperated with Zoran Vodopija, Marijana Mikasinovic and Marijana Matkovic, and that they have never put against him the way of his writing and his themes, on the contrary, they gave him their support…

XXII

Peratovic Zeljko, because of pressures and heckling comments on political meetings, on street, in trams, that he is betrayer of Gotovina and British spy, experienced psychical shocks, discomfort, harassing, threats, humiliation. On his work he is exposed to censorship, isolation from editorial office and management of �Vjesnik�, that is mobbing. Because all that he got sick and had to go on sick leave and ask for medical help. (attachament 16)…

XXIII

The consequences for Peratovic Zeljko are disastrous on economic, professional and moral base, but also medical. That kind of acting of POA, by the proposer, is stressful condition and inhibits it in original analysis and critical approaches of considered problems which are hapening in society. He has the feeling of constant threat and editorial aversion from confiding journalist investigation work , what is for individual journalist, for profession, and also for public, fatal. That has a great influence on his professional behaviour. In question are the freedom and professional work of journalist. No matter the Committee for internal politics and national safety brought mentioned conclusion, journalist rights of Zeljko Peratovic are still violated, because in newspapers he is working for, �Vjesnik�, and which are formaly owned by the Government of Croatia, is not allowed writing about themes he wrote before: intelligence services, organized crime and war crimes. Almost any writing is prohibited…

“Dieser Preis ermutigt mich, weiterhin die Kriegsverbrechen zu recherchieren und dar�ber zu schreiben”, so Zeljko Peratovic anl�sslich der Preiserleihung am 18. J�nner in Wien. “Denn Kriegsverbrechen sind f�r mich das grundlegende Element, das all diese Verbrechen wie Mord, Korruption, Kriminalit�t und Wirtschaftskriminalit�t verbindet. Und wir wissen auch, dass viele sp�tere Wirtschaftskriminelle Kriegsverbrechen begangen haben – nicht nur in Kroatien, auch in Bosnien und Serbien. “…

Zitat aus der Festrede von Norbert Mappes-Niediek f�r Zeljko Preratovic:

“Der Preis tr�gt den Untertitel, Signal f�r Europa’. Das ist ein sch�ner und treffender Name. Was hier geleistet wurde, ist in der Tat ein Signal f�r ganz Europa, nicht nur f�r seinen �stlichen Teil. 80 Prozent alle Orden und Ehrungen sind tautologisch: Sie belohnen nur den Erfolg und den Applaus. Die anderen 20 Prozent sind es, die z�hlen. Zu ihnen geh�rt der Preis, den ROG hier in Wien verliehen hat.”

Rubina M�hring, Gesch�ftsf�hrende Pr�sidentin – Reporter ohne Grenzen �sterreich

Croatian President Stjepan Mesic flanked by HRT Director General Mirko Galic and EBU Secretary General Jean Stock

After being forced to leave the Globus, a weeklymagazine -to the censorship of the chief editor Mirko Galic (the end of 1999), I got position with the Fokus, yet another weekly magazine, whose editor in chief was Mladen Maloca who was theeditor in chief of the most appreciated Yugoslav weekly magazine- Danas – printed and edited in Zagreb anddistributed from Zagreb.

But the Fokus owner is Marinko Mikulic, one of deputy presidents of the Association of Catholic Employer sand member of the HIP (Croatian Identity and Prosperity) Party – a right wing political party, which leader is the son of late Croatian president Franjo Tudjman, (Miroslav) and the head of the Croatian Information Service – one of the secret HDZ political polices.

The editor in chief Mladen Maloca and his deputy Vanja Sutlic, guaranteed me freedom of writing and they keptit working until I published the last interview with Milan Levar. After that the magazine owner Mikulic changed theprofile andconcept of this weekly magazine and it was notliberally oriented news magazine – rather a catholic right wing orientednews magazine full of speech hate against the Croatian president Mesic, the Hague Tribunal, the Racan government.

Because ofexistential reasons I was forced to work for the sameweekly for over some time. When my one year contractwith this weeklyexpired, the directorship of the same weekly signedwith me a new contract although I told them – if mywriting not of anyinterest to them, I could leave the weekly without anycompensation. But that time deputy of the editor inchief Vanja Sutlic told me the directorship needed me and they wanted meto sign the new contract. Having in mind that they didnot allow meto write, I asked Vanja Sutlic and the directorshipwhat to do and they told me to leave the news weekly.

Due to the factthat they owed me a of money, I did not agree to. After that, in the name of directorship, Vanja Sutlic fired me and that wayI did not have any rights except the unemploymenthealth care. Until 2004 Vanja Sutlic was the deputy of the HTV CEO Mirko Galic and the PAN Papir witness before the court inthe case against the newspaper Fokus. Mladen Maloca wasaconsultant of the government owned Tisak company – thelargest distributer of newspapers in Croatia. Mladen Maloca will appear before the court in the role of witness -on behalf of his former employer Marinko Mikulic.

Mikulic’s close friend accused and jailed General Norac andmade several times public statement accusing me and myfriend Levar for imprisonment (Rijeka prison) of his friend Mirko Norac. On my behalf the Croatian Journalists Labour Union whose attorney is Orhideja Martinovic sues the PAN Papir Company. Up to now, a number of my colleagues testified before court.

Slobodna Dalmacija, Friday,February 15, 2002.

In the case of the Vjesnik journalist against the Fokus news weekly testified Drago Pilsel too in the Fokus possession “remained” 80 thousands kunas

ZAGREB – By the free lance journalist and the Forum 21 president Drago Pilsel testimony at the County Court the investigation was continued in the case where today’s Vjesnik journalist Zeljko Peratovic sues the new weekly Fokus owner- the PAN Company – for 80 thousands kunas of theunpaid salary. Reportedly, Peratovic claims that he was fired due tothe censorship carried by Vanja Sutlic, now employedby the HTV as deputy of the editor in chief of the Informative Program. Karlos Zvonimir Pilsel, better known by Drago name, was a free lance journalist working for the Fokus weekly, andaccording to him, one of the founders and editors ofthe same news weekly starting with the news weeklyfirst issuein January 2000 until September of the same year.

- Peratovic was coming to work each day, he finishedall his tasks alone, and sometimes we worked togetheron thesame tasks. The salary was paid put in envelope, ofblue or white colour, and it happened that I havegotten foodstamps that can be spent only in the discount shop ofthe Fokus owner – the PAN Company. The monthlysalaries werenever on time and regularly paid and only a smallerpart of the salary was deposited at the checkingaccount. By thecontract my salary was 7 000 kunas, and according tothe Peratovic’s contract – his salary was 10 000 kunas- explained the salary payments circumstances that timedeputy president of the HND.

His employment, as he stated, was also terminated dueto the censorship – for he protested against thepressure madeby the Djakovo bishop. During of the month of August, 2000 the profile and concept of the news weekly wasbeingchanged, claimed the witness, and the new men came whomade him and Peratovic not possible to normally work.

- I want to stress that there was an institutionalcensorship in the Fokus and journalist Peratovic was systematically ignored – concluded Pilsel.

by Neven Pavelic

Drago Pilsel, former contributor to Fokus:

Maloca Washed His Hands

Bishop Marin Srakic openly criticized Mikulic because of Fokus’ editorial policy, and he in turn pressured Maloca to get rid of me. I found out that Mikulic was upset because I on one occasion reprinted an article by late Fr. Luka Vincetic, who used to write for Feral, the paper Mikulic abhors.

As I live from the money I earn as a journalist, I accepted the idea of starting a new news magazine that would among other include religious content, so that in February 2000 I joined Fokus as an editor of the religion section of the magazine. I had an agreement with the editor-in-chief Mladen Maloca and his deputy Vanja Sutlic that I was supposed to be a member of the editorial board and in my section be tolerant of other religious communities, instead of focusing only on the dominant, Catholic community. I published articles by numerous authors that are otherwise not admired by the Catholic bishops. However, I believed that they were interesting and also true believers.

My open editorial style and my writing was disliked by the owner, Marinko Mikulic. I also found out that Mikulic was sort of a prot�g� of some bishops, and especially of Djakovo-Srijem bishop Marin Srakic.

On one occasion bishop Srakic attacked the idea of introduction of the subject religious culture into public schools, claiming that children from mixed marriages, those who are neither Serbs nor Croats but something in between, those who do not know either their nationality or religion,were advocating the introduction of such a subject. We were shocked by such an abuse of ethnicity and religion and published the bishop’s statement with a short commentary in the article entitled Religious Instruction for Yugo-nostalgics.

That was allegedly the fuse, as bishop Srakic openly criticized Mikulic because of the material published in Fokus (I have been told that he was not the only one), and he in turn exerted pressure on Maloca to get rid of me. I later found out that Mikulic was especially upset that I had on one occasion reprinted an article by late Fr. Luka Vincetic, who used to write for Feral, the paper Mikulic abhors.

All in all, I soon realized that I was wasting my time in Fokus, but I stayed for a few more months trying to recover some of the unpaid wage arrears. Therefore, I was fired in September 2000, after the owner’s and bishop’s pressure on the editorial board with the following explanation: Screw it Drago, that’s how it is!

Soon afterwards Mikulic paid the wages he owed me, but he refused to pay several thousand kunas of traveling expenses I made with Sutlic’s and Maloca’s approval. As far as that is concerned, Maloca very elegantly washed his hands.

Feral Tribune, by Drago Hedl, May 19, 2001

Novi List, April 9, 2002 Black Cronicle

By Testimony of Former Fokus Journalist Continued Process through which Journalist Peratovic Claims more than 80 000 Kunas from News Weekly Fokus Owner

“Not getting along came after Peratovic’s writingabout killing of Milan Levar”

ZAGREB – The process through which now Vjesnik journalist Zeljko Peratovic claims more than 80 000 kunas from the Fokus owner on account of unpaidsalary was continued on the County Courtin Zagreb by testimony of former journalist of thesame news weekly – Tifani Simunovic.

The witnesssaid she was the Fokus regular employee from thebeginning of 2000 until July 31, 2001 when shesigned the contracts guarantying her a predefinedsalary.

- Latter we learned that we were officially entitledto only 2 500 kunas and the rest of salary waspaid in cash. The part of salary was paid in checks ofthe PAN company that could be spent onlyin the discount shops of the same company – said Tifani Simunovic adding that the directorshipwas willingly waiting on Peratovic’s mistake inorder to fire him – taking in account that notgetting along with Peratovic came after his writingabout the Milan Levar homicide.

She added that several journalists heard that time Domestic Politics Column editor Ratko Peter, who , after not getting Peratovic on phone, yelled asif he would get what he (Peratovic) deserves.

- Some time later, Peratovic was fired – said the witness noting that Peratovic that morningcalled them and told them that he had virosis, but,the editorship used this moment to get rid of him.

On the next court session Vanja Sutlic now editor onthe HTV whom Peratovic named as a personwho carried the censorship for what Peratovic was fired – should appear before the judge.

by Vilim Cvok