B92 refutes Montenegrin politician's accusations

B92 strongly protests against accusations of Montenegrin politician Nebojsa Medojevic that the media company has put itself in the service of organized crime. Medojevic, MP in the Montenegrin parliament and leader of the Movement for Change party, accused B92 of being a mafia’s media outlet, that had put itself in its service. B92 refutes Montenegrin politician's accusations Medojevic made the comments for Belgrade-based tabloid Press. Medojevic is making the allegations quoting a personal experience of someone who once wrote for media in the service of organized crime, since, as he himself said, he wrote for weekly newspaper Identitet, which was used by the Zemun Clan, a statement from B92 said this Thursday in Belgrade. Identitet was banned after the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic. Medojevic’s accusations, as well as a message sent by Ratko Knezevic to B92 reporter Jugoslav Cosic that he was “no different than murderers and criminals”, came after Stanko Subotic aka Cane phoned in to Cosic’s TV interview with Nebojsa Medojevic which was broadcast on B92 TV, after Medojevic had given his unambiguous consent. Medojevic previously accused Montenegrin authorities of hiding Subotic, for whom Serbia had issued an international arrest warrant and against whom proceedings for abuse of office were conducted, and Darko Saric, a fugitive from justice suspected of smuggling more than two tons of cocaine from South America to Europe, in Montenegro. Subotic phoned in from Geneva and accused Medojevic of stating lies about him under orders from businessmen Miroslav Miskovic and Milan Beko, which was rejected by the Montenegrin politician. B92 pointed out that freedom of expression and freedom of media were guaranteed in the Republic of Serbia by the Constitution and ratified international agreements, and that any pressure on a public media outlet, its editors and journalists, as well as influences suitable for interfering with their work are considered a violation of freedom of public information. B92 emphasized that there was no censorship in Serbia, and that the distribution of information, even that originating from persons Serbia had issued arrest warrants for, could not be absolutely prohibited, but only if such information called for violent destruction of order, violation of the country's territorial integrity, if it promoted ehtnic or religious hatred, discrimination, hostility or violence, which had not been the case with Subotic’s statements made for B92. B92 is demanding from competent authorities in Serbia to investigate Medojevic’s allegations about B92’s "work in the service of organized crime", and to inform the public whether they are based on facts, or represent an outrageous lie, the statement said. B92 insists that obligations regarding the respect of the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of media, which applies to all in the Republic of Serbia, must necessarily apply to Nebojsa Medojevic as well. The statement from the company concluded that B92 intends to press slander against the Montenegrin politician.

B92 refutes Montenegrin politician's accusations

Medojević made the comments for Belgrade-based tabloid Press.

Medojević is making the allegations quoting a personal experience of someone who once wrote for media in the service of organized crime, since, as he himself said, he wrote for weekly newspaper Identitet, which was used by the Zemun Clan, a statement from B92 said this Thursday in Belgrade.

Identitet was banned after the assassination of Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić.

Medojević’s accusations, as well as a message sent by Ratko Knežević to B92 reporter Jugoslav Ćosić that he was “no different than murderers and criminals”, came after Stanko Subotić aka Cane phoned in to Ćosić’s TV interview with Nebojša Medojević which was broadcast on B92 TV, after Medojević had given his unambiguous consent.

Medojević previously accused Montenegrin authorities of hiding Subotić, for whom Serbia had issued an international arrest warrant and against whom proceedings for abuse of office were conducted, and Darko Šarić, a fugitive from justice suspected of smuggling more than two tons of cocaine from South America to Europe, in Montenegro.

Subotić phoned in from Geneva and accused Medojević of stating lies about him under orders from businessmen Miroslav Mišković and Milan Beko, which was rejected by the Montenegrin politician.

B92 pointed out that freedom of expression and freedom of media were guaranteed in the Republic of Serbia by the Constitution and ratified international agreements, and that any pressure on a public media outlet, its editors and journalists, as well as influences suitable for interfering with their work are considered a violation of freedom of public information.

B92 emphasized that there was no censorship in Serbia, and that the distribution of information, even that originating from persons Serbia had issued arrest warrants for, could not be absolutely prohibited, but only if such information called for violent destruction of order, violation of the country's territorial integrity, if it promoted ehtnic or religious hatred, discrimination, hostility or violence, which had not been the case with Subotić’s statements made for B92.

B92 is demanding from competent authorities in Serbia to investigate Medojević’s allegations about B92’s "work in the service of organized crime", and to inform the public whether they are based on facts, or represent an outrageous lie, the statement said.

B92 insists that obligations regarding the respect of the rights to freedom of speech and freedom of media, which applies to all in the Republic of Serbia, must necessarily apply to Nebojša Medojević as well.

The statement from the company concluded that B92 intends to press slander against the Montenegrin politician.