22. 03. 2005

ANTI-SEMITIC AND ANTI-B92 PROPAGANDA IN BELGRADE

BELGRADE, March 22, 2005 – In Belgrade downtown this morning, posters have appeared calling for a boycott of Radio Television B92 and anti-Semitic graffiti was written in front of the Jewish cemetery and several non-government organization headquarters. The posters show the B92 logo inside the star of David with the message below: “Boycott because of anti-Serbian influence, dangerous influence on the Serbian youth, supporting the independence of Kosovo, supporting the spreading of drug use, homosexuality and other Western sicknesses and supporting the multiracial new world order.” The message “Serbia to Serbs” also appears on the poster, which is signed to the name of the National Formation. Last night, graffiti was drawn outside the buildings which house the Helsinki Human Rights Council in Serbia and the Humanitarian Law Center. The Helsinki Council helped a petition signing event at Republic Square the night before entitled “Stop the Silent Conspiracy”, a campaign against rising anti-Semitic sentiments in Serbia, which was organized by eight non-government organizations. In front of the organization’s headquarters last night, the message “Sonja Biserko – Jewish pawn – obedient servant of the World Jewish Movement” was written. Serbian President Boris Tadic has condemned the propaganda posters and anti-Semitic graffiti and asked for an immediate investigation into who is behind both. “This type of labeling and indirect calls for lynching represent a part of our political folklore which is believed to have disappeared from the public arena”, Tadic said. Stating that everyone has the right to state an argumentative criticism of all public voices, Tadic said that, however, calls for violence and spreading national intolerance is absolutely unacceptable. The Serbia-Montenegro Ministry of Foreign Affairs demands that the Serbian government “urgently finds and punishes the organizers and committers of these acts of vandalism.” The G17 Plus Party condemns any form of pressure being put on the media. “Free media is a necessary condition for healthy democracy. Serbia is on the road to the European Union and such occurrences cannot be tolerated.” the party states. “We must show that we are an open European society that is ready to unite with others to make a difference, we cannot allow threats, violence and extremism to dominate our public living.” The Serbian Renewal Movement stated that the posters were a part of an anti-Hague lobby that encouraged a lack of freedom of the press, anti-Semitism and xenophobia. The Power of Serbia Movement and its leader Bogoljub Karic said that they support a democratic and European Serbia, free, professional and responsible journalism, and condemn all pressure put on the media which endangers its freedom. The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia demands that the government identifies who is behind this propaganda aimed at B92, which promotes racial, religious and gender discrimination. “The IAJS, as an organization, respects differences in convictions and choice, but condemns such labeling and calls for violence, and believes that these posters are a sign of the times that we believed were behind us. Attackers of the media, especially those that became a symbol of free and independent journalism in the past decade, cannot be allowed to get by without public condemnation and reactions from the authorities, and a punishment of this type of criminal activity.” The Serbian Government has also issued a statement condemning the appearance of anti-Semitic graffiti and attacks on free media. The government sees the last night’s events in Belgrade as a direct threat to the Jewish community in Serbia, rating them as unacceptable. The government also said that the immediate and efficient action is needed to be undertaken, pointing that the events were directly opposing state’s policy of maintaining stability, tolerance and getting closer to European integration.