The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) condemns the threats and insults by Bosnian Serb politician Milorad Dodik against journalist Tanja Topic.

Currently a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dodik called the journalist a German agent and ‘quisling’. It is the latest in his campaign of threats and insults against journalists who is he disagrees with.

ETUC defends democracy and the rights of  independent journalists and  a free media, and says that threats and insults against journalists, and anyone else,  should have no place in the rhetoric of elected politicians.

“This is a new low for Dodik and politicians like him” said Luca Visentini, General Secretary of the ETUC. “Dodik is an elected politician, and he should play by the rules of democracy. People expect politicians to encourage dialogue and respectful exchanges of views – not to make threats and insults against those who they disagree with. An independent media is the cornerstone of democracy and those who threaten and insult journalists are playing with fire.

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