„Dnevni Avaz” severely misleads the public

7. 7. 2010. The network of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (Initiative), which consists of the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo, strongly denies the allegations from the text of the newspaper “Dnevni Avaz”, published 7th July 2010 under the title “Five more organizations have left RECOM”.

“Dnevni Avaz” speculates in its article the reasons for which the Initiative network left the Coalition for RECOM, indicating that the main reason was due to the reduction of money for the campaign to collect signatures for RECOM. These allegations are absolutely untrue and were not under any correlation with the reasons for the Initiative to leave the Coalition.

The Initiative has estimated that it can provide more support at this time to the idea of RECOM outside of the Coalition. We continue to remain fully committed to this idea and continue to advocate for the establishment of the Regional Commission for Fact-finding.

Please note that during the participation in the work of the Coalition for RECOM, the Initiative never noticed the slightest indication of any financial fraud. Moreover, the Coalition for RECOM adopted a very transparent way of deciding to publish its budgets online and fully present them to the public.

The idea of the establishment of the Regional Commission for Fact-finding is one of the most significant ideas in the field of transitional justice in the Balkans. The discussion about its establishment should be argumented with the public presentation of all relevant facts and opinions. “Dnevni Avaz” articles on RECOM are full of slander and untruth, and they are used to mislead the public. For these reasons, the Initiative network does not intend to continue the discussion with “Avaz” about anything related to the work of the Coalition for RECOM.

We are warning “Dnevni Avaz” that in the future all similar situations will be discussed in front of the judicial authorities.