Glas Istre on strike

Protest rally for freedom of press and in support of striking journalists

13.11.2010 u 14:25

Bionic
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Several hundred people gathered in the main open-air market of the northern Adriatic city of Pula on Saturday to demonstrate for freedom of the press in Croatia and express their support for journalists of the regional newspaper Glas Istre who were on strike.

The protest rally was organised by a regional trade union, whose leader Bruno Bulic said that the Croatian media sector was ruled by "a political oligarchy paid by power brokers who brought them to power and by tycoons who robbed this nation through PR agencies that finance editors and analysts."

"Journalism must become a calling and not an occupation," Bulic said.

Among the demonstrators was the president of the Croatian Trade Unions' Association (HUS), Ozren Matijasevic, who said that "the moral erosion" of the Croatian society was assuming increasing proportions.

Matijasevic mentioned in that regard recent decisions by the Croatian Parliament and the Constitutional Court, "which did not allow people to clearly express their will at a referendum" on amendments to labour legislation, and "this ordeal the Glas Istre journalists are going through," because of a decision by an arbitration council denying them the constitutional right to strike. He said that the judicial authorities were helping those in power.

"The HUS fully supports the journalists in their struggle to preserve the independent media, because only that way do we have a chance to establish a just and well-organised society, and Croatia, unfortunately, is still miles away from becoming such a society," Matijasevic said.

The protesters were addressed by many journalists from Glas Istre.