BHN Steering Committee: Russian Ambassador to BiH must publicly apologize to Žurnal journalists

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Steering Committee of BH Journalists (BHN) demands a public apology from Petr Ivancov, the Russian Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, for verbal insults and inappropriate comments about the portal Žurnal and its journalist Avdo Avdić.

"While appearing on N1 television in Sarajevo, Ambassador Ivancov stated that for him, 'the Žurnal portal is not credible,' and that journalist Avdo Avdić 'got involved in internal political actions and processes,' according to a statement from the BH Journalists Association.

The BHN Steering Committee considers Ivancov's statements to be a gross attack on media freedom and the rights of journalists to critically analyze current events in BiH, including political-intelligence and judicial affairs, which Žurnal has reported on in recent months.

'By giving his own, unsubstantiated opinions on the work of Žurnal journalists, Ivancov has put the entire editorial office in direct danger! This diplomatic pressure on Žurnal journalists carries additional weight, as it comes from the ambassador of the Russian Federation – a country with significant influence in BiH and the region, and is initiated with the aim of undermining the professional reputation and credibility of the information published by this media outlet,' stated BHN.

The BHN Steering Committee calls on the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH to urgently send a protest note to the Russian Embassy in BiH and the competent institutions of the Russian Federation due to the inadmissible interference of their diplomat in the work of a Bosnian-Herzegovinian media outlet. Furthermore, the BHN Steering Committee will send a protest letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation regarding Ambassador Ivancov's statements.