PM seeks apology from OSCE over censorship claim

PM seeks apology from OSCE over censorship claim

BELGRADE -- Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić has demanded an apology from OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović.

This came after Mijatović's allegations of censorship of the media in Serbia.

In his letter, the prime minister said he believed the OSCE official was "deceived" and added he "did not even want to think that there was some other political intent hiding behind a series of untruths that she presented against Serbia."

Vučić also stated that "the dirtiest campaign" was being conducted against him both in the country and abroad - but that he hoped he would see either an apology from the OSCE, or evidence for the alleged violations of human rights in Serbia.

"Being very concerned about the heavy words that you had at the expense of the country whose government I lead, I was forced to check all the claims from your statement," the prime minister wrote in the letter dated June 2. He added that it was "unusual for a prime minister of a country to respond formally, in writing, to a single written statement. "

Vučić added that he asked the OSCE for information about any evidence that would support the claim that the government was involved in disabling the websites "Druga strana" and "Teleprompter," or that it removed a blog from the website of the Blic daily. However, he noted that he had not received such evidence.

"Of course, no evidence was offered to me," said Vučić.

The prime minister "wants to believe that this information (about censorship) was collected in a manner most lacking in seriousness from one of the websites which are conducting their habitually dirty campaign against...