Slovenian journalists renew censorship claims

(LJUBLJANA) - Slovenian journalists urged the government Friday to create an independent commission to investigate allegations of government censorship and political pressure on the media.

Journalists Blaz Zgaga and Matej Surc said international experts should be included in the commission "that could evaluate the situation and contribute to improving media freedom in Slovenia."

Zgaga, a journalist with the daily Vecer, and Surc, a state television reporter, last year initiated a petition signed by 570 journalists accusing the government of censorship. The petition was sent to all EU capitals.

But three months on and just days after Slovenia took over the six-month presidency of the EU, the paid said that no measures had been taken in response to their complaints.

"Since then, the only Slovenian official to have talked to us is the Human Rights Ombudsman Zdenka Cebasek Travnik," Zgaga told AFP.

Zgaga and Surc have accused Prime Minister Janez Jansa's centre-right government of weeding out the directors and chief editors such as Ljubljana's Delo, via state-owned investment funds with controlling stakes in the newspapers.

The government on Friday accused the two journalists of writing the petition and their new letter "for reasons that are far from being well-intentioned."

"Blaz Zgaga and Matej Surc continue to spread lies, misleading domestic and international public opinion concerning the situation with media in Slovenia and discreditating Slovenia while it is heading the EU presidency," it said in a statement.

The International Press Institute, the International Federation of Journalists and other media organisations have urged the government to investigate the allegations.