Serbian ministry bans distribution of newspapers

Serbian ministry bans distribution of two dailies
Tanjug - March 18, 2003

19:16 BELGRADE - The Serbian Ministry of Culture and Public Information on Tuesday banned the distribution in Serbia of the Podgorica daily Dan because of texts in which the daily criticised Serbian government's imposition of a state of emergency and government's activities in implementing the state of emergency measures.

The Ministry also banned the distribution of the Tuesday issue of the Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti because of its text headlined "Small Village, Big Rat," commenting on the implementation of measures under the state of emergency. The Vecernje Novosti editor-in-chief and the author of the text were fined, the Ministry said.

Serbian government bans work of Belgrade daily Nacional
Tanjug - March 18, 2003

19:19 BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Culture and Information Branislav Lecic said on Tuesday that the Serbian government had decided to ban the work of the Belgrade daily Nacional and the Valjevo television Mars and that the distribution in Serbia of the Podgorica daily Dan had been banned in keeping with the order on the state of emergency.

Speaking at a news conference at the Serbian government, Lecic said that they had been banned because of the contents and manner of their reporting.