The Belgrade Centre for Human Rights condemns the latest statement by the Director General of the National Television of Serbia , Mr. Aleksandar Tijanić, against the President of the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights, Ms. Biljana Kovačević-Vučo. The Centre holds that his statement is uncivilized and not acceptable from the the director of a public institution which should be a public service for all citizens.The proclamations of Mr. Tijanic, broadcast by some media, are based on hate speech and violate the basic principles of journalistic ethics. Furthermore, his statement is an assault on the person and dignity of Ms. Kovacevic-Vuco. Hate speech should not belong to the vocabulary of the director of an institution, which should serve as an example to the rest of the media by its moderate language, objectivity and professionalism. Passionate assaults, insults and disqualifications of political opponents, especially if they are women, was a trademark of the spokesmen of the Milosevic’ regime. This kind of conduct should dissapear from public life in democratic Serbia.
