Judicial harassment of war crimes reporter continues

Croatia, 15. 01. 2009

Reporters Without Borders condemns the charge that was brought yesterday at the behest at interior minister Tomislav Karamarko against a journalist who writes about war crimes in the 1990s. Zeljko Peratovic is accused of �disseminating information likely to upset the population� under article 322/1 KZA of the criminal code, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison as well as a possible fine.

In blog entries (peratovic.net and peratovic.blog.hr), letters to national judicial officials and a series of public statements, Peratovic has accused the interior minister of obstructing the investigation into the death of Milan Levar, a witness under the protection of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), who was killed by a car bomb in the southeastern village of Gospic in August 2000.

Peratovic was questioned as a witness in the course of the investigation because he was one of the last people to see Levar alive. The prosecutor in charge of the investigation subsequently identified Peratovic as a witness, in violation of judicial confidentiality.

�Interior minister Karamarko portrays himself as the victim of defamation and claims that I want to upset the population, but he is pursuing a different objective� Peratovic said. �As well as fining me, the court could above all decide to ban me from disseminating information for an indefinite period. That would prevent be from undertaking any kind of journalistic activity, on my blog or in other media.�

Peratovic added : �It would also prevent me from continuing my effort to discover who was behind Milan Levar�s murder. Some people are counting on the statute of limitations eventually applying to this case. Silencing me could be a way of achieving this.�

Reporters Without Borders said : �It seems that press investigations into war crimes are not welcome at a time when Croatia is trying to join the European Union. The interior minister should be trying to help the investigation into a protected witness�s murder rather than attacking those who refuse to let war crimes be forgotten and go unpunished.�

�The prosecution being brought against Peratovic under article 322/1 is ridiculous and unacceptable,� the press freedom organisation continued. �The crime of �information likely to upset the population� reflects on obsolete view of freedom of expression that is incompatible with the European democratic standards that Croatia will have to conform to if it wants to join the EU.�

Reporters Without Borders added : �If the prosecution of Peratovic goes ahead, we insist that whenever any of the parties are questioned in court, it no longer takes place behind closed doors.�

Zeljko Peratovic, who received death threats in 2008 in the form of comments added to his blog, was arrested at his home on 17 October 2007 on a charge of revealing state secret for posting documents on his blog relating to war crimes in Gospic in the 1990s, and for referring to the existence of a video of witness accusing former defence minister Gojko Susak (now deceased) and a parliamentary deputy president (Darko Milinovic, now croatian minister of th health and new vice president of HDZ, op. 45 lines) of involvement.

Aged 42, he faced a possible three-year prison sentence. In the event, the prosecution was not pursued but the charges have not been withdrawn and the files confiscated by the police have still not been returned to him.

Peratovic has worked for various newspapers, the latest of which is Vjesnik. His investigations into war crimes have earned him a lot of trouble. He has been fired, he has been physically attacked and he is regarded as a traitor by many of his compatriots, who refuse outright to consider the possibility that Croatians may have committed war crimes.

He received the received the press freedom prize of the Reporters Without Borders Austrian section in 2003.

RSF, Publi� le 15 janvier 2009

Karad�ić and Karamarko

Croatian secret services have one more additional argument when claiming that they did not know where Ante Gotovina was when he was searched for by the Hague court and when that was the reason why the European Union was blocking negotiations with Croatia. Now, I can say it openly: we did not even know that Radovan Karad�ić was spending his time in Čiovo and you can trust us when we say that we would want to catch him!�

Who knows whether one should be completely confident of that? Croatian and Serbian leaders were involved in trading all sorts of things in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Radovan Karad�ić, together with Ivica Rajić, could have been protected by someone from the Croatian secret services while he was soaking himself in the Croatian Adriatic Sea.�

The fact that Radovan Karad�ić was entering and leaving Croatia whenever he wanted, that he was preparing to go back to Split where he could witness Sanader’s famous rally to save Mirko Norac or some of the Pope’s visits to Dalmatia, is evidence of what sorts of secret services, paid from our taxes, we have.

It is scary if they did know that and even worse if they were entirely unaware of that fact. At that time they were rather busy and had their priorities such as following, prosecuting, intimidating and harassing journalists. Detention of �eljko Peratović, confiscation of his work tools, obstruction of employment opportunities; blackmailing Helena Puljiz; breathing down Drago Hedl�s neck and intimidating him with the data collected by wiretapping Feral; stalking Pavelić, Đikić, Malić, Čičak and Butković -stalking them but not Karad�ić.

It has been 53 days that somebody beat up and tried to kill journalist Du�ko Milju�. It is futile to expect those agencies to help the police not to find a person who did that to Du�ko Milju�, but the person who ordered that � the person who is evidently involved in subversive activities against the constitutional order in Croatia. Similarly, we have been waiting for 2884 days for them to say, not who murdered the Hague witness Milan Levar ( because they know that but the evidence do not find their way to the court), but again, who ordered it. Those would be the pieces of information for which they are paid. Instead of that, those agencies prosecute the information for which you pay.�

Inoslav Be�ker RIMOVANJE , Jutarnji.hr, 25 July 2008,�

British deception proven

…It all started on 10 June 2003 when Nacional ran an interview with the runaway General Gotovina. That I had met with him was a fact known not even by his attorneys Luka Misetic and Marin Ivanovic, as I worked out the details in the greatest discretion with attorney Marijan Pedisic, a friend of mine, who passed away just over a year ago. We met with Gotovina in a hotel in Venice…

Both Mesic and chief Hague prosecutor Carla Del Ponte were informed of the messages and the interview before it was published. Del Ponte sent her top crew, headed by Patrick Lopez Tereza, to Pantovcak to see what could be done about it. Mesic charged his chief of staff Zeljko Bagic to speak with them, who he informed of what Gotovina had said…

And when I was already convinced that the crisis would end favourably for all and that Gotovina would finally come home, the blows came, above all from the press, but from all quarters. They led to a break off of the talks, and a loss of mutual trust, with serious consequences for Croatia, which as a result of the sabotage of those talks did not accede to the Union three years ago.

The responsible parties are known today. Some media houses, Jutarnji list and Globus foremost among them, followed by Feral and HTV, criticised both the initiative and me. President Mesic, who publicly supported the idea, was also attacked, even so far as to demand he relinquish his post. Journalists like Gordan Malic, Ivan Zvonimir Cicak, Ivica Djikic, Denis Kuljis, from HTV led by Zoran Sprajc, right up to the most ridiculous of them, Zeljko Peratovic, who claimed from his laughable Internet portal that I had met with Gotovina at Mesic’s Pantovcak residence. I was subject to daily attacks. I could not believe the just how much malice there was among journalists. The chief theory put forward by the press at the time was Gotovina was in Croatia, and there were constant alleged sightings of Gotovina in Croatia appearing the newspapers…

Ivo Pukanić, Nacional, 18.09.2008. | nr. 670

Tnx Martin & Balkanika

CHORVATSKO

Z�hřeb se je�tě nezbavil st�nů minulosti

Praha/Z�hřeb, 22. 11. 2007

Ve st�nu kampaně před neděln�mi parlamentn�mi volbami se v Chorvatsku odehr�v� af�ra připom�naj�c� časy nacionalistick�ho re�imu prezidenta Franjo Tudjmana. Novin�ř �eljko Peratović, kter� se zab�v� objasňov�n�m v�lečn�ch zločinů, u� dva roky bojuje o oči�těn� sv�ho jm�na. B�val� ��f tajn� slu�by ho spolu s dal��mi pěti kolegy nařkl, �e je agentem zahraničn� rozvědky. Zat�mco ostatn� se spokojili s omluvou parlamentu, Peratović dal st�t k soudu.

Odpověd� mu bylo v ř�jnu tohoto roku zadr�en� v policejn� cele na čtyřiadvacet hodin, konfiskace poč�tačů, mobiln�ch telefonů a archivu. Byl obviněn, �e zveřejnil st�tn� tajemstv� spoč�vaj�c� ve vystaven� tř� dokumentů na internet. Dodnes mu odm�taj� vr�tit č�st zař�zen�, tak�e nemů�e pracovat. Postup tajn� slu�by a policie svědč� o tom, �e Chorvatsko, usiluj�c� o členstv� v EU, m� před sebou je�tě mnoho reforem a změn.

Podsvět� a tajn� slu�by

Peratović, kter�ho u� před dvěma lety propustili ze st�tn�ho den�ku Vjesnik, odkr�val spojen� tajn� slu�by a podsvět� v souvislosti s objasňov�n�m v�lečn�ch zločinů z 90. let a s p�tr�n�m po Ante Gotovinovi, gener�lu obviněn�m z v�lečn�ch zločinů.

Novin�ř pr� vad� prezidentu Stjepanu Mesičovi, pod něho� form�lně tajn� slu�by spadaj�. A premi�r Ivo Sanader je se sv�m Chorvatsk�m demokratick�m společenstv�m dědicem nacionalistick� politiky 90. let, i kdy� stranu z�sadně transformoval směrem ke křesťansk� demokracii.

“Tajn� slu�by tu nepro�ly dekomunizac�, v tom je probl�m. Chci svůj př�pad dostat a� před Evropsk� soud pro lidsk� pr�va do �trasburku, proto�e v Chorvatsku nen� mo�n� spravedlnosti dos�hnout,” ř�k� Peratović. D�l pracuje jako novin�ř na voln� noze, zatčen byl za zveřejněn� materi�lů na sv�m blogu 45.lines.peratovic.net. Rodinu se dvěma dětmi �iv� man�elka Nada, pracuj�c� jako překladatelka, a pom�h� i dědictv� po Nadině otci, kter� �il v emigraci a měl ve �v�carsku prosperuj�c� firmu.

“Zavřeli mě, proto�e si mysleli, �e v předvolebn� kampani se to ututl�,” ř�k� Peratović. Př�padu si ale v�imla jak nez�visl� chorvatsk� m�dia, tak i někter� evropsk� a připomněla, �e podobn� zastra�ov�n� novin�řů, i jejich vra�dy, patřilo k bě�n� praxi nacionalistick�ch re�imů na Balk�ně.

“Podobn� věci se nyn� st�vaj� st�le m�ně často,” ř�k� nicm�ně Zdenko Duke, m�stopředseda Chorvatsk�ho svazu novin�řů.

Př�prava na EU

Odpůrci chorvatsk�ho členstv� v EU ale dostali do rukou důkaz, �e Chorvatsko mus� je�tě urazit dlouhou cestu. Vyjedn�v�n� Z�hřebu zat�m postupuj� pomalu, otevřeno je jen 14 ze 35 kapitol, uzavřeny byly dvě. Vět�� naději m� Chorvatsko se vstupem do NATO, kam by mělo dostat pozv�nku př�t� rok na jaře. Jednou z hlavn�ch v�tek Bruselu vůči Z�hřebu je korupce a �patn� stav justice.

Vl�da na kritiku EU odpověděla z�konem, kter� nařizuje ukončen� procesů nejd�le do tř� let, a u soudů ve Splitu a Pule u� je mo�n� sledovat procesy na internetu.

K př�padu obviněn�ho novin�ře se ov�em vl�dn� �ředn�ci s odvol�n�m na statn� tajemstv� odm�taj� vyjadřovat. B�val� ministryně spravedlnosti Vesna �kareov�-O�boltov�, kter� chce svědčit ve prospěch novin�ře, marně ček� na zpro�těn� mlčenlivosti, a naopak sama čel� v�hrů�k�m.

Voliči se v neděli rozhodnou nejsp� hlavně podle sympati� k vůdcům dvou hlavn�ch sil, Ivo Sanaderovi a nov�mu ��fovi opozičn� soci�ln� demokracie Zoranu Milanovičovi, kter� nahradil v dubnu zesnul�ho popul�rn�ho Ivicu Račana. Ekonomick� situace nen� �patn�, ale je třeba dal��ch reforem. Velkou z�tě�� je např�klad vysok� zadlu�en� veřejn�ch rozpočtů.

S�ly obou soupeřů jsou podle průzkumů vyrovnan�. To je rys, kter� sp� svědč� o tom, �e Chorvatsko se st�v� norm�ln� evropskou zem�. Volby v posledn�ch letech toti� zpravidla rozhoduj� jen mal� rozd�ly v z�skan�ch hlasech.

Autor: Martin Ehl, Hospod�řsk� noviny, 22. 11. 2007

Harassment of Croatian reporter raises concernsEuropean Diary: The men in leather jackets came at 7am in the morning with pistols strapped to their backs. They confiscated four computers, a mobile phone, contact books and hundreds of documents belonging to the Croatian investigative journalist Zeljko Peratovic, writes Jamie Smyth

“They told my four-year-old daughter and my wife not to move and took everything from 15 years of investigative work – documents, cassettes and CDs,” says Peratovic, who spent the night in prison before being released earlier this month. Peratovic was detained on suspicion of disclosing state secrets on his internet blog, in a move demanded by both the head of the secret service and the office of the public prosecutor. His detention, which has taken place ahead of a general election scheduled for November 25th, has prompted public concerns over press freedom in Croatia, a country that wants to join the EU in 2009. The international journalist association Reporters Without Borders strongly condemned the arrest, which it said related to posts on the reporter’s blog.

Peratovic, who received a press freedom prize from the Austrian section of Reporters Without Borders in 2003, is best known for his reporting on the death of Milan Levar, a witness for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. Levar was killed by a car bomb in 2000 in Gospic, a town in southwest Croatia. Since then Peratovic has struggled to persuade mainstream newspapers in Croatia to accept his articles. He also alleges regular harassment by the Croatian secret service. “I think they arrested me for revenge and to try and find out who my informants are in the state services and the media,” Peratovic told The Irish Times. “The secret service has been bugging my phone, opening letters and following me because of my work, which has revealed links between top politicians and crimes in the 1990s.”

The reaction to the arrest from the public and from journalism associations has prompted Croatian prime minister Ivo Sanader to order an inquiry into the affair. It has also raised fears that Croatia’s past could re-emerge to damage its EU prospects. State harassment of journalists was common during the 1990s when Croatia was ruled with an iron grip by authoritarian president Franjo Tudjman. But in recent years the government led by Sanader has implemented several legislative reforms meant to guarantee freedom of the press. Indeed, last December the Organisation for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) in Europe ruled that enough progress had been made to enable it to conclude its work on press freedom.

“Political, but also commercial pressure on media will probably continue in Croatia, yet the mission believes that media institutions and the civil society sector have reached the point where they can assume the watchdog and advisory role,” says the OSCE’s Ljerka Drazenovic. “The fact that reactions from the media, media associations and civil society circles were so prompt and loud [ about Peratovic], tell that public awareness of protecting this democratic value is high. It is per se a good sign, indicating the achieved level of media freedom in Croatia will be preserved.” Under OSCE standards journalists should not be responsible for protecting state secrets or held accountable for publishing classified information. Only the officials who have a specific legal duty to maintain confidentiality may be held liable if they allow disclosures, says Drazenovic.

Just one important law on press freedom remains to be put in place in Croatia – legislation on the state Croatian Radio and Television network. This was put on hold until after the election because of political sensitivities. The government also needs to follow through on plans to set up a media council, says the OSCE. But new laws do not always change practice, and state control over some media is a real issue, says Ivan Butkovic, of the Croatian Association of Radio and Newspapers.

“Big media firms can resist political and commercial pressure, but at a local level there are issues in Croatia. For example 60 per cent of local radio stations are owned by local authorities. This means local politicians wield great influence,” he says. Josip Kregar, dean of the faculty of law at the University of Zagreb, agrees that control over local radio either by local politicians or entrepreneurs often gives them huge sway in local communities. He also highlights the growing commercial pressure on the media exerted by big companies, which can use advertising to control it. But he says the controversy over the arrest of Peratovic probably reflects problems with the Croatian secret service rather than political influence over the media. “There is freedom of the press in Croatia, but the secret service is not yet fully under political control,” says Kregar. “It is not one case with a journalist, but it is about a conspiracy network behind the secret service.” He points out that political oversight of the secret service will be critical when the EU comes to judge Croatia’s readiness to join. Peratovic, who is pledging to continue working as an investigate reporter in Croatia, gives his own assessment of Croatia’s readiness to join the 27-member club.

“With things like this happening to journalists how can we join the EU?” he asks.

The Irish Times, Dublin, Tuesday, October 30, 2007

18.10.07: Kroatien ROG-Preistr�ger Zeljko Peratovic in Kroatien verhaftet

Investigativer Journalist wird der �Preisgabe von Staatsgeheimnissen� beschuldigt

Reporter ohne Grenzen �sterreich ist in gro�er Sorge um den kroatischen Journalisten Zeljko Peratovic, der gestern Abend in Kroatien verhaftet wurde. Peratovic wurde 2003 f�r seinen investigativen Beitrag zur Aufarbeitung der kroatischen Kriegsverbrechen von ROG �sterreich mit dem �Press Freedom Award� ausgezeichnet.

Wie Peratovics Ehefrau ROG mitteilte, kam es gestern fr�h zun�chst zu einer siebenst�ndigen Hausdurchsuchung, bei der auch drei Laptops, ein PC und schriftliche Unterlagen des Journalisten beschlagnahmt wurden. Peratovic wird vorgeworfen, in seinem Blog Staatsgeheimnisse preisgegeben zu haben.

Konkret soll es um einen Eintrag gehen, in dem auf eine f�r heute Abend (18.10., 20:10 h) geplante Sendung des kroatischen Staatsfernsehens namens “Brisani Prostor” hingewiesen wird. In der Sendung soll ein Interview mit Fatima Skula gezeigt werden, die als Zeugin des Internationalen Kriegsverbechertribunals in Den Haag �ber Kriegsverbrechen an Serben in der norddalmatischen Kleinstadtz Gospic berichtet hatte. Peratovic schreibt in seinem Eintrag: �Diese Sendung enth�lt authentische Aussagen �ber die Ereignisse in Gospic. Hauptverd�chtige sind der verstorbene Verteidigungsminister Gojko Susak und der der HDZ-Sopitzenkandidat f�r die kroatischen Parlamentswahlen am 25. November, Ex-Vizepr�sident Darko Milinovic (HDZ).

Was von dem gesamten Gespr�ch auch ausgestrahlt wird, werden wir am Donnerstag Abend wissen.� Nach der Durchsuchung wurde Peratovic auf die Polizeiwache mitgenommen, wo er sechs Stunden lang in einem �informellen Gespr�ch� befragt wurde. Der Journalist wartet nun auf die Einvernahme durch den Staatsanwalt, der entscheidet, ob Peratovic bis zu einem m�glichen Gerichtsverfahren weiter in U-Haft bleiben muss. Die H�chststrafe f�r den Verrat von Staatsgeheimnissen betr�gt drei Jahre Haft. Der 1966 geborene Journalist hatte bereits in den 90er-Jahren in den Wochenzeitungen Nacional und Globus �ber die Kriegsverbrechen in Gospic berichtet – zu einer Zeit, als 80 % der Kroaten der Meinung waren, dass die �eigene Seite� keinerlei Kriegsverbrechen begangen h�tte.

Peratovic war auch selbst Zeuge des Internationalen Kriegsverbrechertribunals f�r das ehemalige Jugoslawien. Einer seiner Informanten, ein Augenzeuge der Verbrechen und ebenfalls Zeuge des Tribunals, wurde sp�ter ermordet. Peratovic wurde wegen seiner Artikel immer wieder des �nationalen Verrats� bezichtigt. 2003 wurde er von Extremisten bedroht und bel�stigt, einmal wurde er auf offener Stra�e von einem nicht verurteilten Kriegsverbrecher k�rperlich attackiert. Seine Frau und seine kleine Tochter zogen daraufhin aus Sicherheitsgr�nden in die Schweiz. Von seinem Arbeitgeber, der kroatischen Zeitung Vjesnik, wurde Peratovic im August 2005 fristlos entlassen. Offiziell wurde dieser Schritt damit begr�ndet, dass er ein Interview f�r die Wochenzeitschrift Feral Tribune gemacht und ver�ffentlicht hatte, wozu er seinem Vertrag gem�� nicht berechtigt war.

Peratovic zog daraufhin zu seiner Familie in die Schweiz. Zu der gestrigen Verhaftung kam es im Zuge einer Kroatien-Reise der Familie. Peratovic hatte sich schon im Dezember 2006 an Reporter ohne Grenzen gewandt und dargelegt, dass er sich durch den kroatischen Geheimdienst verfolgt f�hle und guten Grund zur Annahme habe, dass sein Telefon abgeh�rt werde. Erst am 8. Oktober hatte er erneut in seinem Blog gepostet, dass er j�ngsten Informationen zufolge wieder verst�rkt durch den kroatischen Geheimdienst �berwacht wird.

ROG, Presse / Aktuelle News

Giornalismo croato ancora sotto attacco

Il recente arresto del giornalista Zeljko Peratovic, sospettato di aver scoperto presunti segreti di stato poi pubblicati sul suo blog, ha riportato all�attenzione la libertŕ di stampa in Croazia.

Dura la reazione dell�Ordine dei giornalisti croati In Croazia l�arresto del giornalista indipendente Zeljko Peratovic, sospettato di aver scoperto presunti segreti di stato poi pubblicati sul suo blog, ha scatenato ormai da giorni una bufera che non accenna a placarsi. Questo �avvenimento inammissibile� � tale e stato definito l�arresto del giornalista dal Comitato di Helsinki croato per i diritti umani nella dichiarazione pubblica del 23 ottobre – ha di nuovo messo in primo piano la questione della libertŕ dei media croati, che fino alla fine del 1999, durante il governo dell�ex presidente croato Franjo Tudjman, � sempre stata sotto seria minaccia.

Peratovic, ex giornalista del settimanale politico �Globus� e poi del quotidiano �Vjesnik�, oggi giornale filo-governativo, � stato arrestato mercoledě scorso, dopo che la polizia con mandato di perquisizione del suo appartamento gli ha chiesto la consegna dei computer, dei cd e dell�archivio. Nel pomeriggio dello stesso giorno, la polizia ha fatto irruzione anche nei locali di TV Nova, una delle tre televisioni croate con la licenza nazionale, chiedendo che i tecnici dei computer cancellassero dal blog di Peratovic i due contenuti in questione. Questo perch� TV Nova � proprietaria del server sul quale Peratovic aveva il suo blog. Quando giovedě scorso, dopo l�interrogatorio, la polizia lo ha rilasciato, Peratovic ha dichiarato che non gli � chiaro di quali presunti segreti statali si tratti. Uno dei documentati pubblicati sul suo blog �45 lines� si riferiva al pedinamento della polizia, di cui � stato oggetto insieme ad altri cinque giornalisti a causa dei testi su Ante Gotovina, il generale accusato dall�Aja per crimini di guerra e al tempo latitante. Gli altri due documenti sui contatti dei servizi segreti britannici con i servizi segreti croati non ha fatto che prenderli dai testi giŕ pubblicati dal settimanale �Nacional� e dal Hrvatski list. �Questi documenti sono stati pubblicati sui giornali e io li ho soltanto presi e pubblicati sul mio blog�, ha detto Peratovic.

Peratovic si occupava d�indagini scottanti, � il giornalista che ha scritto in modo piů dettagliato su Milan Levar, il testimone dell�Aja assassinato nel 2000. Levar aveva detto ai media quello che sapeva sul conto del generale Mirko Norac (sotto processo a Zagabria insieme al generale Rahim Ademi per crimini di guerra commessi nell�operazione Sacca di Medak) coinvolto nei crimini di Gospic, per i quali e stato condannato a 12 anni di carcere dal Tribunale distrettuale di Rijeka. Levar � stato ucciso in modo misterioso da una bomba davanti alla sua casa di Gospic � il suo assassino non � mai stato identificato.

Peratovic si � occupato anche dei temi della criminalita organizzata e spesso era in contatto anche con informatori del sottobosco croato. Temi dei suoi articoli sono stati il presidente Stjepan Mesic, il premier Ivo Sanader e il capo dei servizi segreti croati Tomislav Karamarko

Peratovic di recente ha pubblicato sul suo blog anche la testimonianza di una tale Fatima Skula che accusa pesantemente il vicepresidente del Parlamento croato Darko Milinovic (membro del partito di governo del premier Sanader, Unione democratica croata, HDZ) perch� coinvolto nei crimini di guerra di Gospic.

L�arresto di Peratovic � presto diventato oggetto della campagna elettorale che, a fronte delle elezioni parlamentari in Croazia, fissate per il 25 novembre, si � giŕ infiammata alla grande. Dal Partito socialdemocratico (SDP) all�opposizione, che i sondaggi prevedono vincitore delle prossime elezioni, � giunta la seguente dichiarazione: �Di nuovo gli organi giudiziari, come alla fine degli anni novanta, si sono gettati contro i giornalisti invece di indirizzare la loro attivitŕ verso quelli che dall�interno degli organi statali consegnano i dati classificati ai giornalisti�. �Il mio punto di vista � noto e lo ripeterň di nuovo: io sono per una totale libertŕ dei media e, per quanto riguarda me e il mio governo, non possono esserci restrizioni di alcun tipo. Ovviamente la libertŕ dei media e la libertŕ in generale includono anche la responsabilitŕ di ciň che viene detto e scritto. Nessuno puň prescindere da questa responsabilitŕ, n� i politici, n� i giornalisti, n� nessuno altro, ma io sto sempre dalla parte dei giornalisti�, ha detto Sanader promettendo un�indagine con la quale si accerterŕ in che modo si e giunti all�arresto del giornalista. �Lui [Sanader] e per la liberta dei media ma ama arrestare i giornalisti e a questi arresti e al maltrattamento partecipa anche il ministero diretto dal suo ministro (degli Affari Interni, Ivica Kirin)�, ha replicato a Sanader il capo del SDP, Zoran Milanovic. L�Ordine dei giornalisti croati ha reagito in modo severo all�arresto del loro membro, valutando questo gesto come �un drastico esempio di minaccia alle libertŕ giornalistiche in Croazia e come un�immemorabile pressione contro la liberta dei media e dei giornalisti�. Se sono stati minacciati dei segreti di stato, allora gli inquirenti dovrebbero occuparsi delle persone che passano i segreti e non dei giornalisti che li pubblicano�, fa sapere l�Ordine dei giornalisti croati.

L�editorialista dello �Jutarnji list� di Zagabria, Davor Butkovic afferma che l�arresto di Peratovic sia stato �un errore madornale� e aggiunge che una cosa del genere non accadeva nemmeno al tempo del presidente Franjo Tudjman, noto per il suo modo autoritario di governare e per il suo continuo conflitto con i giornalisti. �Lo Stato non deve arrestare i giornalisti a causa della loro attivita professionale, dunque nemmeno per la pubblicazione dei segreti di stato�, dice Butkovic.

Secondo il comunicato di Freedom House, che valuta lo stato di liberta dei media nel mondo, la Croazia l�anno scorso era al 87-imo posto insieme al Brasile, Timor Est e il Perů. Gli analisti avvertono che l�arresto dei giornalisti, come nel caso di Zeljko Peratovic, non contribuira di certo al miglioramento della gia bassa valutazione della Croazia ottenuta quest�anno.

Osservatorio Balcani, Da Osijek, scrive Drago Hedl, 25.10.2007<