21. 10. 2004

Politika’s “unfortunate tradition”

BELGRADE, October 21, 2004 (B92) – Belgrade daily Politika has continued its unfortunate tradition of manipulation by publishing the medical records of Danica Draskovic after she announced her candidature for the position of head of the Interior Ministry’s Security Institute. The paper’s editorial board discussed the ethics of publishing extracts from Draskovic’s medical records as it pertained to her ability to function in public office, Politika editor Milan Misic said today. “Because she has ambitions for a public post, there was consensus decision that this report, in which she was found to be unfit as head of a public institution, should be published,” added Misic. Political analyst Dejan Anastasijevic noted that many countries have clear regulations on the protection of privacy, but added that people in public positions should make their personal medial records available to the public. “It is completely ridiculous to justify publication of Danica Draskovic’s medical records on the grounds that she is a candidate for a public position. Politika in this way is continuing its manipulations and its unfortunate traditions. Remember that the same paper published the records of Otpor members from Pozarevac, claiming that they were drug users, homosexuals and disturbed personalities. This is only a continuation of the same practice and a demonstration that some things never change,” he said. Anastasijevic does not see the head of the Security Institute as an overly sensitive job, but adds that this is just one more thing in Serbia about which it is difficult to get confirmation. “On the one hand, the Security Institute is an educational institution designed for training and developing the skills of security agents. This is not a crucial position on which the security of the entire country should depend. On the other hand, perhaps it is, as we heard from Legija during the trial. He said that the institute had trained people such as Spasojevic and Lukovic and other criminals and drug dealers. Who knows what’s really going on there? For a start, issues such as what happened to the archives of the institute between October 5 and October 8, 2000, should be reviewed,” Anastasijevic told B92.