RS MUP pressures portal Klix.ba over Cvijanović's recording of buying 'votes'

The RS MUP has contacted the portal Klix.ba in recent days, inviting them for an informational interview in Banja Luka to reveal the source and method by which this portal obtained the audio recording about the purchase of „votes“ by Prime Minister Željka Cvijanović, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Klix.ba editor-in-chief Jasmin Hadžiahmetović told Patria that this is a classic example of pressure from Dodik's regime on independent media.

- The informational hearing we were invited to perfectly illustrates what independent journalists are condemned to if they publish something with compromising content for the local regime – Hadžiahmetović said.

As they state from Klix.ba, they are willing to cooperate but will not tolerate pressure. The questioning of the owner and editor-in-chief lasted several hours.

- Investigators tried, using their police methods, to extract from us the name of the source through which Klix.ba obtained the controversial recording that shook the local public, especially the ruling elite. After we told them we did not intend to reveal the source, the investigators attempted to cite the law under which we are allegedly criminally liable and allegedly face a prison sentence. Given the fact that as journalists we have the full right to protect our source, we understood this informational interview as serious pressure on the media and we will certainly seek protection from journalists' associations and other institutions in BiH – state from Klix.ba.

With this action, the RS MUP showed that it paid more attention to how the recording was made than to those to whom the recording refers. Let us recall, a few days ago the RS MUP claimed the recording was fabricated, only for RS Police Director Gojko Vasić to say that „it is not important whether the recording was even examined“.

- The RS MUP should also investigate and clarify whether there was indeed a purchase of representatives, which would mean the crudest possible form of corruption committed in the highest institutions of the entity. If it happened, it was committed by the highest-ranking individuals in the entity  - it is stated.