(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the former Yugoslavia, Jiri Diensbier, RSF expressed its concern about the shortage of paper which is affecting Serbian independent media. “By depriving these newspapers of the raw materials which they require in order to publish, Slobodan Milosevic’s regime is implementing […]
(RSF/IFEX) – In a letter to the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in the former Yugoslavia, Jiri Diensbier, RSF expressed its concern about the shortage of paper which is affecting Serbian independent media. “By depriving these newspapers of the raw materials which they require in order to publish, Slobodan Milosevic’s regime is implementing a new form of censorship in Serbia,” said Robert Ménard, the organisation’s secretary-general. “We ask that you personally intervene so that the affected newspapers are supplied according to their needs, and that they not be forced to end their activities,” he added.
According to information collected by RSF, since the end of May 2000, several independent dailies, notably “Blic”, “Danas” and “Glas javnosti”, are faced with a shortage of paper. The problem has become more pronounced in recent weeks. On 2 August, Slavoljub Kacarevic, the editor-in-chief of “Glas javnosti”, denounced this “discrimination” against independent newspapers, claiming that he was “forced to limit the newspaper’s print run.” This follows similar statements by the editor-in-chief of “Danas”. On 15 July, “Blic” and “Glas javnosti” announced that they would no longer publish Sunday editions. “Blic”, “Danas” and “Glas javnosti” were forced to publish a single issue for 7, 8 and 9 July. Moreover, independent media are now using all kinds of paper. The 10 July edition of “Glas javnosti” was printed on wrapping paper. Veselin Simonovic, editor-in-chief of “Blic”, admitted being “at an impasse” because of the paper shortage. “The only possible solution is to acquire paper wherever we can find it. So it is possible to find oneself with a newspaper published in five different formats, but above all else, we must not cease publishing,” explained the journalist.
Matroz, the country’s only newsprint manufacturer, usually supplies independent media with its paper surpluses, after delivering newsprint to the pro-government newspapers. However, in the past few weeks, the manufacturer has greatly diminished its delivery of newsprint to these three dailies and all other independent information agencies, on the pretext that some of its equipment has broken down. Pro-government media continue to receive amounts of paper necessary to publish. Moreover, the federal minister of trade has refused to grant import licenses to independent newspapers, saying that the country produces a sufficient amount of paper.
