The issue of national identity is taken seriously by Balkan people – including the least serious among them.
Serbia Arrests 7 Over Journalist Threats
Belgrade | 09 December 2009 | Bojana Barlovac
Stankovic, who is author of the show Insider, received death threats posted on internet websites after the airing of the show last Thursday, which listed a number of unpunished offences allegedly committed by football hooligans, including drug trafficking, attacks and murder.
Football hooligans are widely blamed for the burning of the US embassy in Belgrade, when Kosovo declared its independence in February 2008, as well as for a series of recent attacks on foreigners in Belgrade including the fatal beating of a French football fan Brice Taton.
In an interview with daily Politika, Stankovic said that her team had been prepared for all sorts of reactions since the threats had started even before the program was first broadcast. She however did not expect to be threatened with slaughter, murder and rape.
“They sent me enormous number of messages telling me to buy a casket and a cross, calling me a dead whore and that I should be slaughtered. I no longer deal with that as its up to Prosecution now," she told Balkan Insight.
She added that the number of threats has decreased after the Tuesday's arrest and police protection she got.
"I feel terrible having to do my job under police protection,” Stankovic said.
Insider will, as she said, continue to work and the next episode will be aired on Thursday.
Stankovic launched the show in 2004, that is geared towards investigative journalism. She has received various awards for her work including the 'Dusan Bogavac' award for ethics and courage in journalism and the Jug Grizelj Award for developing friendship among people and removing barriers between nations.
Immediately after the incident, a Facebook group named 'I ja sam Brankica Stankovic' (I am Brankica Stankovic too), formed in support of the journalist. The group has 4,510 members at the moment.
Serbian President Boris Tadic said the state will not tolerate violence wrought by hooligans and criminals who threaten journalists while doing their job.
"The competent state bodies will react in accordance with the law, arrest and prosecute anyone who threatens other people's lives," broadcaster RTS quoted Tadic as saying.
Serbia's Association of Journalists, UNS, and the Independent Journalists Association of Serbia, NUNS, have requested the police and relevant authorities to protect the journalist, as well as the show's team, and to make public the results of the investigation as soon as possible.
A number of media organisations and NGOs also strongly condemned the incident.
"We are offering full support to our colleagues at B92 and we are asking the state authorities to find the persons making the threats as soon as possible, bring them to justice and prevent any similar threats from repeating against this and any other media in Serbia," a statement of daily Politika says.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia along with delegation of the European Commission and the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade have also expressed their concerns.
"Suppression of the voices of journalists has a daunting impact on the development of democracy, which requires an atmosphere without intimidation," a joint statement says.
Tuesday afternoon Serbian actress Bojana Maljevic was attacked at Belgrade's Kalenic market due to holding an umbrella with B92 logo. As the actress said on her blog, two 18-19 year old guys hit her umbrella asking her whether she is a friend of Brankica Stankovic. Immediately after, they realised that Maljevic is a well-known actress and left.
