Exactly five years ago, journalist Vladimir Kovačević, while
returning from work, was attacked in front of the building where he lived. He
was severely beaten, and the prosecution counted the entire attack as attempted
murder. The perpetrators of this crime have never been found. Kovačević talks
to Politicki.ba about what has changed after this attack, whether journalists
are safe, and what position independent journalists are in.
"After the attack on me, a lot of things changed in my
life. Not in the sense that someone continued to threaten me or physically
endanger me, but the very fact that overnight the entire region found out about
me and that I became recognizable to everyone. That affected me. Before then,
people recognized me because I worked on popular television and was a fairly
recognizable journalist, but after the attack, it became more obvious. It
bothers me that when I walk around the city, everyone knows that I'm the one
who got beaten up. I didn't have any problems, people who ask me about the
attack ask with empathy, but repeating and reminding me about it is what bothers
me," Kovačević begins his interview with Politicki.ba.
Because of the work he does and because everyone knows him,
Kovačević continues, he doesn't like going to public places with his family.
"I avoid it, I've never had a problem, but it just
makes me sick. When I'm alone it's easier. I would probably feel worse if
someone threw something or threatened me while I was out with my family. As far
as work is concerned, not much has changed, I have continued to work more or
less the same. But it is also clear to me that our work is terrible, underpaid,
unappreciated, and does not produce results, nor does it change society for the
better because this society does not want to be better than this."
From personal experience, he was convinced that institutions
are not too interested in solving cases of attacks on journalists, or even
attempted murders.
"It's been five years since the attack, and we still
don't know who the perpetrators are. It is unbelievable that OJT Banjaluka did
nothing to find the perpetrators. This is a clear message from institutions to
journalists. Two attackers who should have also received fines were sacrificed,
but they are less important in the whole story. Here, institutions are not at
the service of the state and society, but of certain individuals,"
Kovačević adds.
Due to all of the above, as well as a number of other
factors, Kovačević says that journalists in Republika Srpska are not safe.
"I am surprised that there are no more attacks. Perhaps
the sentences of 5 and 4 years in prison for those who attacked me were a
message to the attackers that it does not pay off to listen to those who pay
them to assault a journalist. But in general, journalists are under constant
attack, mostly from the politicians, and one man who is the main generator of
pressure and attacks on journalists", says Kovačević.
However, the issue of security is not the only problem that journalists in Republika Srpska are facing.
"Journalists are also threatened financially because
they work only to earn miserable wages. Those who managed to make a name for
themselves and gain experience are lucky because they can work for more media
and they can earn a little more money, but that's not good either because they
end up working from morning to night. In general, it's a bad job to choose, and
it's pure luck that when journalists start, they don't know what awaits them,
at least I didn't."
