THE POWER OF INDEPENDENT STATE BODIES

TO PREVENT AND INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION

IN THE MEDIA SYSTEMS AND

THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS

Regional conference on anti-corruption in the media systemsLjubljana, December 1st 2014

Jelena Berković, GONG

NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL: WE NEED TO KNOW ALL COVERT MEDIA OWNERS

2011. Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor called for a session regarding covert capital in the media with President of the Republic Ivo Josipović, Minister of Interior Karamarko, President of the Parliament Bebić and secret services:

•“National Security Council calls on the state authorities (administrative, regulatory and repressive) within their jurisdiction to continue and intensify activities in order to identify abuse and non-transparent investment and all forms of crime in respect of ownership of the media. The state authorities need to carry out an analysis of existing legislation, propose measures to improve the conditions for ensuring full transparency of ownership and capital investment in all forms of media, and to prevent all non-transparent investments and abuse.”

INDEPENDENT STATE BODIES (1) NOLLE PROSEQUI

• Inspectorates – nothing wrong found with “freelancers” de facto exclusively working for

Večernji list daily while majority of employed journalists were striking for their collective agreement rights

• Police– no relevant changes regarding more than 40 cases of attacks on journalists

reported in the White Book – the chronology of the attacks on journalists in Croatia from 1992 – 2008 published by the Investigative Reporters Branch of the Croatian Journalists' Association

– former police director Oliver Grbić publicly accused former state attorney Mladen Bajić of blocking the investigation regarding corruption in a textile company Kamensko in order to protect now former director of Europa Press Holding Ninoslav Pavić, with support of the Croatian President Ivo Josipović

INDEPENDENT STATE BODIES (1) NOLLE PROSEQUI

• State Attorney Offices – nothing worthy of persecution regarding Ivana Lekšić’s testimony that

three radio stations she worked for faked 70 % of programmes financed by the Fund for Electronic Media Pluralism and Diversity (annually 3,9 mil EUR)

• The courts– conflict of interest of general manager of HRT Goran Radman

(managing a private company dealing with business advice, member of the Supervisory Board of the Hypo Alpe-Adria Bank) contested in Administrative court since summer 2013.

– Slavica Lukić guilty of embarrassing of a company (3,400 EUR) abolished by higher court, but pending new trial before the same judge

– RTL guilty of an unprofessional manner of arranging an interview with the Prime Minister – because it was exclusive and live (6,500 EUR)

INDEPENDENT STATE BODIES (2) ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

• National Council for Monitoring Anti-Corruption Strategy Implementation– everything said on the thematic meeting in 2008. but no reaction

• Information Commissioner – lack of capacities (budget covers 1/3 of needs projected by GONG)

• Committee for Prevention of Conflict of Interest – no tool to implement anti-revolving door policy in the Electronic

Media Council (Duško Zimonja fined with 1800 EUR)

• Electronic Media Agency/Council – lack of accountability and transparency regarding projects applied to

the Fund for Electronic Media Pluralism and Diversity (3,9 mil EUR)– complete silence regarding the state and conditions for journalism in

electronic media

PARALLEL CENTRES OF POWERMIND THE GAP

• absolution of debt – biggest to Croatian Radio Television 52 mil EUR

• lowering of Value Added Taxation for print media: – 22% 10% in 2007/8. by Prime Minister Ivo Sanader

• 39 mil EUR annually

– 10% 5% in 2013. by Prime Minister Zoran Milanović • except for one tabloid paper

• pre-bankruptcy settlement: – the process allowed forgiveness of 7 mil EUR to a local media

company Vox even though the chief of local tax authority claimed that 2,7 mil EUR was non-existent and due to this became the target of the media racketeering

GOOD GOVERNANCE IN CROATIA DUH – DOBRO UPRAVLJANJE U HRVATSKOJ

2013. mini-poll of CSOs working on anti-corruption and their cooperation with institutions:

•declaratory support, but in relation to sensitive or overwhelming demands only pro forma cooperation (21/22)

•public financing only for soft anti-corruption activities (18/22)

•silent division on suitable and ill-suited ngos (12/22)

•there is no fight against corruption without independent media – therefore, ngos need to strenghten their efforts in supporting and developing public and non-profit media as well as disolution of current clientelism, comercialisation and monopoly in the media (20/22)

THE ROLE OF CSOs IN ANTI-CORRUPTION ACTIONS IN CROATIAN MEDIA SYSTEM

GONGs 17 years – from an election monitoring NGO to a think-do tank doing research, advocacy and education:

1. Electoral System: • media rules in election and referendum campaigns• activities of state bodies

2. Croatia and EU: • shadow monitoring of Chapter 23• debates for and against Croatia’s entry to the EU

3. Good Governance: • FOI (support to journalists + cases) • conflict of Interest (Goran Radman) • anti-corruption policy (the Parliament Council, Strategy)• openness and accountability of local, regional and national government

4. Active Citizens and Civil Society:• Platform 112 (OGP)• citizenship education (media literacy)• non-profit media (www.gong.hr; support for community FM radio)

GOOD GOVERNANCE IN CROATIA DUH 2013.

9%

84%

29% 26%

66%

30%

68%

44%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

informiranjejavnosti ipristup

informacijama

proračunskaodgovornost i

transparentnost

uključivanjejavnosti upolitičko

odlučivanje

spremnost zaPUP

praćenjeprovedbe i

izvještavanje opolitikama

upravljanjesukobominteresa

otvorenostSabora javnosti

parlamentarninadzor

Series1

prosjek 49%

GONG AND THE BRANCH OF INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS OF THE

CROATIAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION

Journalists rarely refer to Freedom of Information Act when sending their questions to public bodies (7% regarding their last question).

574 journalists asked to participate •230 started•138 completed (24 %)

- 45 % editors- print media 52 %

LOTUS - LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

2009. – 2012. – 2014.

MEDIA OWNERSHIP (TRAIN) BOTTLENECKS OF LOCAL RADIOS IN CROATIA

THE OPEN GOVERNMENT PARTNERSHIP: FULL NAMES OF ALL MEDIA OWNERS

THANK YOU!jelena@gong.hr

www.gong.hr/enwww.facebook.com/GONG.hr

www.twitter.com/GONG_hr

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