By: Peter Truden
The Association of Journalists and Publicists condemned the gross political attack and humiliation of RTV Slovenia journalist Jože Možina, who hosted the show Utrip (Pulse) on Saturday, the 15th of January 2022, where, in 15 minutes, he commented on the current socio-political topics, in accordance with the journalistic standards and ethics. The association emphasised that such political pressuring is unacceptable.
On Saturday, the 15th of January 2022, historian and journalist at RTV Slovenia, Dr Jože Možina, hosted an episode of the show Utrip, where he commented on this year’s celebration in Dražgoše ,and highlighted the real events and tragedy experienced by the people of Dražgoše, thanks to the communists.
“Because of his journalistic work, he was rudely attacked by the President of the Social Democrats party (SD), Tanja Fajon, who is also a Member of the European Parliament. She called the journalists’ episode shameful and unjustifiable on Twitter and disqualified him and his team, saying that they were not acting in the interest of the public but as a government’s service,” the Association of Journalists and Publicists pointed out.
The critics are bothered by freedom of speech
The Association of Journalists and Publicists pointed out that Možina holds a doctorate in historical sciences, and he specialised in the Second World War. Consequently, his contribution in the show Utrip was not only the opinion of a journalist, but also of a historical expert, which is worth pointing out, especially since, in the avalanche of criticism that has hit Možina, there was no professional argumentation, but only the ideological shouting of people for whom the truth is too painful and who want to continue to insist on lies. According to the association, Možina’s critics are bothered by “freedom of speech.”
The Association of Journalists and Publicists called such political pressuring inadmissible, and regarding Fajon, they pointed out that, “as a former journalist of RTV Slovenia, she should definitely defend the plurality of the public RTV Slovenia instead of helping the political left maintain a monopoly in the media at home and abroad, which also helps it control important levers of power from the background and thus distorts the Slovenian democracy.” Especially since Fajon likes to declare herself a fighter for media freedom and plurality at home and abroad.
On Saturday, the 15th of January 2022, Fajon tweeted that the public service of RTV Slovenia has become the government’s service. “Shameful! Both Možina and his team. There is no excuse for an editorial policy that no longer works in the interest of the public,” she wrote on Twitter. “Tanja Fajon, you do not represent the interest of the public, your gross political attack and the shaming of an RTV journalist expose your terrible anti-democratic hypocrisy, which will not go without consequence,” Možina responded, and also tagged the Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld in his post. “Let me make it clear – RTV is a public television, not yours. And there will be no appeasement when it comes to the freedom of the media and the truth,” the journalist then told Fajon.
Fajon must apologise
The Association of Journalists and Publicists also expects that Fajon will publicly apologise for her inciting statements against Možina. “It would also be inadmissible for the RTVS leadership to give in to political pressure and call on the journalist to defend himself in any way, which has unofficially also been announced,” the association concluded, adding that it will continue to closely monitor the development of the events and respond to them accordingly.
You can read the Association of Journalists and Publicists’ statement on interference with media freedom in its entirety below:
Statement of the Association of Journalists and Publicist on interference in media freedom
“The Association of Journalists and Publicists condemns the gross political attack and humiliation of RTVS journalists Jože Možina, who hosted the show Utrip (Pulse) on Saturday, the 15th of January 2022, where, in 15 minutes, he commented on the current socio-political topics, in accordance with journalistic standards and ethics. Because of his journalistic work, he was rudely attacked by the President of the Social Democrats party – SD, Tanja Fajon, who is also a Member of the European Parliament. She called the journalists’ episode shameful and unjustifiable on Twitter and disqualified him and his team, saying that they were not acting in the interest of the public but as a government’s service.
Možina holds a doctorate in historical sciences, and he specialises in the Second World War. Consequently, his contribution in the show Utrip was not only the opinion of a journalist but also of a historical expert, which is worth pointing out, especially since, in the avalanche of criticism that has hit Možina, there was no professional argumentation against any of the points he made. People are only bothered by his opinion. They are bothered by freedom of speech.
Such political pressuring is inadmissible. As a former journalist of RTV Slovenia, Fajon should definitely defend the plurality of the public RTV Slovenia instead of helping the political left maintain a monopoly in the media at home and abroad, which also helps it control important levers of power from the background and thus distorts the Slovenian democracy. Especially since Fajon likes to declare herself a fighter for media freedom and plurality at home and abroad, and she even regularly reports to and informs the European institutions of any and all open issues. We expect that in this case, too, she will apply the same criteria and cancel the inciting statements, as well as publicly apologise to journalist Možina.
It would also be inadmissible for the RTVS leadership to give in to political pressure and call on the journalist to defend himself in any way, which has unofficially also been announced.
The Association of Journalists and Publicists will continue to closely monitor the development of the events and respond to them accordingly.
Management Board of the Association of Journalists and Publicists on the 17th of January 2022″