Autor: Veran Matić
English version below
Kada odete na sajt KRIK-a i otvorite stranicu O nama, nađete se u čudu.
Prvo vidite da nemaju ništa da kriju i da višegodišnji režimski narativ o njima ne odgovara fotografijama, biografijama i svemu što je tamo više nego transparentno predočeno javnosti.
Uočićete koliko toga bitnog i važnog oni proizvode - to je prava riznica prvoklasnih istraživačkih priča, sadržaja sa RasKRIKavanja ili baze imovine političara iz aktuelne vlasti i opozicije, bazu Prosudi ko sudi - koja sadrži podatke o sudijama koje sude najvažnije slučajeve. Tu je i baza podataka mafijaških ubistava Crna knjiga, kao i profili vođa klanova na stranici Šefovi podzemlja.
Redakcija KRIK-a bavi se istraživačkim novinarstvom, svakako najizazovnijim, a često najnezahvalnijim poslom u medijskoj sferi. Istraživačko novinarstvo zahteva izuzetnu posvećenost osnovnim postulatima novinarstva, neverovatnu energiju, strpljenje i upornost, veliko znanje i još veću hrabrost.
Danas su, u svim zemljama sveta, ovakve redakcije nepoželjne: u nekima se tretiraju kao nužno zlo, ali najčešće kao neprijatelji, često veći i od, na primer, političke opozicije ili disidenata. U našoj zemlji, istraživački novinari su najčešće progonjeni i maltretirani, upravo zbog toga što rade u javnom interesu. Koliko god KRIK prepoznajemo preko surovih napada političara, tajkuna i drugih moćnika, kao javnost cenimo njihove izvanredne tekstove, istraživačke priče, baze podataka iz kojih i sami možemo da izvlačimo zaključke, zbog čega svaka njihova priča podigne neverovatnu prašinu. Od jedne priče nastane niz novih koje raskrinkavaju anomalije društva u kojem živimo, precizno i neporecivim argumentima i dokazima.
U proteklih deset godina, većinu istraživačkih priča KRIK-a nisu zaobišla ozbiljna domaća i međunarodna profesionalna priznanja i nagrade (Data Journalism Award, Sigma Award, CEO SEEMO nagrade za izuzetne zasluge u istraživačkom novinarstvu, Anti-Corruption Champions Award, Global Shining Light Award, European Press Prize, nagrade za etiku i hrabrost „Dušan Bogavac“ i „Jug Grizelj“, regionalne nagrade „Srđan Aleksić“ i „Duško Jovanović“). Novinarke i novinari KRIK-a su više puta bili dobitnici EU nagrade za najbolje istraživačke priče iz Srbije, kao i nacionalne nagrade „Dejan Anastasijević“.
Ova, naizgled mala redakcija uživa ogromnu podršku tihe većine u Srbiji, koja sa nestrpljenjem čeka nove sadržaje. Ista ta javnost trudi se da pomaže rad redakcije donacijama – pri čemu ta bliska veza sa javnošću za redakciju predstavlja najveće priznanje. (Poznajem mnogo ljudi iz različitih struktura društva koji redovno uplaćuju donacije KRIK-u - kolike god da su, te donacije su materijalna pomoć ali, pre svega, direktna podrška ideji transparentnog, otvorenog i odgovornog društva i vlasti koja radi u javnom interesu.)
Redakciju KRIK-a oduvek su činile, uglavnom, novinarke. Trenutno, taj odnos je 13:6 u korist novinarki. Zaista verujem da je i to jedan od razloga zbog kojih je KRIK tako snažna redakcija. Mnogo puta sam se uverio u snagu i profesionalizam, privrženost osnovnim postulatima, ne samo profesije, već i najvažnijim životnim vrednostima redakcije KRIK-a. To je redakcija koja neprestano radi u vanrednim okolnostima (pre osnivanja KRIK-a nekoliko vodećih novinarki i novinara radilo je u CINS-u, Centru za istraživačko novinarstvo).
Čitaoci se naviknu na priče koje, sa uživanjem i užasom, pročitaju, zaboravljajući koliko je mnogo hrabrosti potrebno da čovek godinama boravi u trouglu između organizovanog kriminala, velikog „biznisa“ i politike. To je najopasniji prostor u kojem novinar uopšte može da se nađe u mirnodopskim okolnostima. Ljudi se naviknu da čitaju priče i zaborave koliko je naporno i stresno baviti se time, makar i na mesec dana. Ipak, otpor koji pruža ova redakcija nerešiv je za svaki oblik represije.
Čini mi se da ne postoji uhodanija grupa naloga na društvenim mrežama. Kada novi sadržaj KRIK-a ugleda svetlost dana, tada se najbolje vide unutrašnje jedinstvo, sloga, misija i strategija koja ih rukovodi. Naravno, i snažno prožimanje sa javnošću, publikom.
U slučaju KRIK-a, hrabrost se podrazumeva. Zbog toga nisam započeo tekst problemima sa kojima se suočavaju. Nedavno su se diskretno pohvalili da su prvi medij u Srbiji koji je dobio međunarodni sertifikat novinarske izvrsnosti, što je u nekom smislu veće priznanje od zvučnih nagrada, jer one dolaze za određene tekstove ili istraživanja, a ovaj sertifikat govori o tome da čitava redakcija dosledno poštuje sve standarde profesije, na svetskom nivou.
Upravo zbog ovih standarda i ugleda, najuticajniji političari i oni kojima su oni omogućili da se enormno obogate, ne kriju neverovatan prezir prema svakom tekstu i redakciji. Do te mere da im se svete na najrazličitije načine: tužbama sa elementima SLAPP-a (zasipanje tužbama koje imaju za cilj da ih zastraše, finansijski iscrpe i oduzmu dragoceno vreme obavezama vezanim sa suđenja), orkestriranim kampanjama, brutalnim pokušajima diskreditacija, neverovatnim lažima i opasnim targetiranjem.
U svakoj situaciji, odgovor KRIK-a je dostojanstven, temeljit, sa puno znanja o pravima, zakonima, uz snažno prožimanje uverenosti u ispravnost svega što je istraženo i objavljeno. Žao mi je što, na primer, studenti novinarstva, a i novinari, ne dolaze na brojna suđenja kojima je redakcija KRIK-a izložena, jer bi mnogo naučili o novinarstvu i pravnoj državi, ali i o praksama protiv novinarstva koje radi u javnom interesu. Uvek dobro pripremljeni, optužene novinarke, novinari i njihova pravna zastupnica, spremno brane iznete stavove i tvrdnje, imponujući svima kojima je stalo do istinskih vrednosti novinarske profesije i borbe za pravnu državu. To je još jedna bitka koju vode, pored one za profesionalno istraživačko novinarstvo. Ulažu ogroman trud, vreme i sredstva u borbu protiv neverovatnih laži i kleveta, protiv tužbi koje imaju za cilj samo da ih zaustave ili ometu u radu, protiv pretnji drastičnim kaznama, sudske prakse koja se menja i postaje u sve većoj meri neprijateljska prema profesionalnom novinarstvu.
Kada se pogleda evidencija Vrhovnog javnog tužilaštva koja se vodi od 2016. godine kada je osnovana Stalna radna grupa za bezbednost novinara, u slučaju redakcije KRIK-a primećujemo uredno prijavljivanje svih slučajeva ugrožavnja bezbednosti – tri provale u stanove iz kojih ništa vredno nije nestalo dogodile su se jedino novinarkama ove redakcije. Nijedan slučaj do danas nije rešen. Prijavljena praćenja i uhođenja takođe su nerešeni slučajevi. Brojne pretnje imaju epilog u međunarodnim poternicama, prevođenju slučajeva u evidenciju nepoznatih počinilaca, odbačajima krivičnih prijava ili još uvek otvorenim zahtevima prema policiji da se prikupe potrebna obaveštenja. U proteklih devet godina, samo jedan slučaj napada na KRIK rešen je osuđujućom presudom (godinu dana zatvora, uslovno na tri godine).
U ovom trenutku, redakcija KRIK-a je suočena sa više od 15 tužbi i sudskih procesa u slučajevima sa elementima SLAPP tužbi, najviše u Srbiji, a možda i regionu.
Kada se pogleda baza napada na novinare koju vodi NUNS, od osnivanja KRIK-a do danas, zabeleženo je šest verbalnih pretnji, četiri napada na imovinu (provaljivanje u stanove i otimanje telefona, kojima je sniman događaj) i 27 pretnji (među njima su izjave i tužbe, a spisak obuhvata najmoćnije ljude u državi, od premijerke, potom i predsednice Skupštine Ane Brnabić, preko šefova BIA, Aleksandra Vulina, Vladimira Orlića i Bratislava Gašića, ministara Siniše Malog, Nebojše Stefanovića, Jelene Tanasković, Nenada Popovića (koji je četiri puta tužio i nikada nije dolazio na suđenja, što je redakciji odnelo puno dragocenog vremena), policijskih moćnika kao što je Dijana Hrkalović, poslanika Aleksandra Martinovića, Vladimira Đukanovića, biznismena bliskih vlasti kao što su Nikola Petrović i Bogoljub Karić, optuženih u velikim slučajevima kao što je Predrag Koluvija, ali i sudija, kao što je Dušanka Đorđević, koja sa suprugom advokatom, zbog istinitih informacija preuzetih iz javnih izvora, zahteva zatvorske i finansijske kazne i zabranu rada... Koncentracija neprijateljstva i moći koja stoji iza nerešenih pretnji, napada i pritisaka na redakciju KRIK-a – od kriminalne, preko tajkunske i političke, pretnji ugrožavanjem života, tužbi sa ciljem finansijskog iscrpljivanja i pretnji zatvorskim kaznama, čini ovu redakciju najugroženijom u regionu.
Danas, 8. jula, redakcija KRIK-a obeležila je deset godina ozbiljnog rada, ispred suda i u sudnici u kojoj im se suditi po tužbi sudije Đorđević. Nema veće simbolike za položaj redakcije KRIK-a i novinarstva u današnjoj Srbiji. Nema ni snažnijeg otpora od onog koji čini ova redakcija, zajedno sa svima koji ih podržavaju. Voleo bih da ovaj tekst pomogne da se shvati ozbiljnost situacije u kojoj se nalazi novinarstvo danas u Srbiji. I da se kroz solidarnost sa nezavisnim medijima, kroz direktnu i praktičnu podršku, zaustavi uništavanje slobode govora i medija.
Veran Matić: 10 years of KRIK - a decade of excellence in investigative journalism
When you go to the KRIK website and open the About Us section, you find yourself in awe. First, you see that they have nothing to hide and that the regime's narrative about them for many years does not correspond to the photos, biographies and everything that is so transparently presented to the public.
You will notice how important content they produce - it is a veritable treasure trove of first-class investigative stories, content from RasKRIKavanje or the property database of politicians from the current government and the opposition, the Judge Who Judges database - which contains data on judges who judge the most important cases. There's also the Black Book database of mafia murders, as well as profiles of clan leaders on the Underworld Bosses section.
The editorial staff of KRIK deals with investigative journalism, certainly the most challenging and often the most thankless job. Investigative journalism requires exceptional dedication to the basic postulates of journalism, incredible energy, patience and persistence, great knowledge and even greater courage.
Today, in all countries of the world, such newsrooms are undesirable: in some they are treated as a necessary evil, but most often as enemies, often bigger than, for example, the political opposition or dissidents. In our country, investigative journalists are most often persecuted and mistreated, precisely because they work in the public interest. As much as we recognize KRIK through the cruel attacks of politicians, tycoons and other powerful people, as a public, we appreciate their extraordinary texts, research stories, databases from which we can draw conclusions ourselves, which is why each of their stories raises incredible dust. From one story, a series of new ones emerges that expose the anomalies of the society we live in, presenting precise and undeniable arguments and evidence.
In the past ten years, most of KRIK's investigative stories have not been bypassed by serious domestic and international professional recognition and awards (Data Journalism Award, Sigma Award, CEO SEEMO award for outstanding merit in investigative journalism, Anti-Corruption Champions Award, Global Shining Light Award, European Press Prize, "Dušan Bogavac" and "Jug Grizelj" ethics and courage awards, "Srdjan Aleksić" and "Duško Jovanović" regional awards). KRIK journalists have been EU winners several times. awards for the best investigative stories from Serbia, as well as the "Dejan Anastasijević" national award.
This seemingly small newsroom enjoys the enormous support of the silent majority in Serbia, which is impatiently waiting for new contents. The same public tries to help the work of the newsroom with donations - and this close connection with the public is the greatest recognition for the newsroom. (I know many people from different structures of society who regularly pay donations to KRIK - no matter of their size, those donations are material help but, above all, direct support for the idea of the transparent, open and responsible society and government that works in the public interest.)
The editors of KRIK have always been mainly female journalists. Currently, that ratio is 13:6 in favor of female journalists. I really believe that this is one of the reasons why KRIK is such a strong newsroom. Many times I was convinced of the strength and professionalism, adherence to the basic postulates, not only of the profession, but also of the most important life values of the KRIK editorial office. It is a newsroom that constantly works in extraordinary circumstances (before KRIK was founded, several of its leading journalists worked at CINS, the Center for Investigative Journalism).
Readers get used to stories that they read with pleasure and horror, forgetting how much courage it takes for a person to spend years in the triangle between organized crime, big "business" and politics. It is the most dangerous area in which a journalist can find himself in peacetime circumstances. People get used to reading stories and forget how much it is hard and stressful to deal with it, even for a month. However, the resistance they provide is insoluble for any form of repression.
It seems to me that there is no such an established group of social media accounts. When the new content of KRIK sees the light of day, then the internal unity, harmony, mission and strategy that guides them are best seen. Of course, a strong penetration with the public, the audience.
In the case of KRIK, courage goes without saying. That's why I didn't start the text with the problems they face. Recently, they discreetly boasted that they are the first media in Serbia to receive an international certificate of journalistic excellence, which in some sense is a greater recognition than bombastic awards, because they are being awarded for certain texts or research, and this certificate speaks of the fact that the entire editorial office consistently respects all the standards of the profession, at the world level.
Precisely because of these standards and reputation, the most influential politicians and those whom they have enabled to become enormously rich, do not hide their incredible contempt for every text and editorial. To the extent that they are being punished in a variety of ways: lawsuits with elements of SLAPP, (flooding with lawsuits that aim to intimidate them and take away their precious time from court obligations), orchestrated campaigns, brutal attempts to discredit, incredible lies and dangerous targeting.
In every situation, KRIK's response is dignified, thorough, with a lot of knowledge about rights, laws, with a strong permeation of conviction in the correctness of everything that has been researched and published. I regret that, for example, students of journalism, and also journalists, do not come to the numerous trials to which the editorial office of KRIK is exposed, because they would learn a lot about journalism and the rule of law, but also about practices against journalism in the public interest. Always well prepared, the accused journalists and the legal representative readily defend the positions and claims, impressing everyone who cares about the true values of the journalistic profession and the fight for the rule of law. It's another battle they're fighting, in addition to the one for professional investigative journalism. They invest tremendous effort, time and resources in the fight against incredible lies and slander, against lawsuits that only aim to stop or hinder them in their work, against threats of drastic punishments, against court practice that is changing and becoming more and more hostile to professional journalism.
When we look at the records of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office, which have been kept since 2016, when the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists was established, in the case of the KRIK newsroom, we notice the regular reporting of all cases of threats to security: three break-ins into apartments, from which nothing of value was lost, happened only to the journalists of this newsroom. No case has been solved to date. Reported stalkings also represent unsolved cases. Numerous threats have an epilogue in international warrants, transferring cases to the records of unknown perpetrators, dismissal of criminal charges or still open requests to the police to collect the necessary information. In the past nine years, only one case was resolved with a conviction (one year in prison, suspended for three years).
At this moment, the KRIK newsroom is facing more than 15 lawsuits and court processes, in cases with elements of SLAPP lawsuits, mostly in Serbia, and perhaps in the region.
When looking at the database of attacks on journalists led by NUNS, from the founding of KRIK to the present day, six verbal threats, four attacks on property (breaking into apartments and seizing phones, which were used to record the event) and 27 threats (among them statements and lawsuits, and the list includes the most powerful people in the country, from the Prime Minister, then the President of the Assembly, Ana Brnabić, through the heads of the BIA, Aleksandar Vulin, Vladimir Orlić and Bratislav Gašić, ministers Siniša Mali, Nebojša Stefanović, Jelena Tanasković, Nenad Popović (who sued four times and never came to the trials, which took up a lot of valuable time for the editorial office), police powerful people such as Dijana Hrkalović, MPs Aleksandar Martinović, Vladimir Djukanović, businessmen close to the authorities such as Nikola Petrović and Bogoljub Karić, defendants in major cases, such as Predrag Koluvija, and judges, such as Dušanka Djordjević, who with her husband lawyer, because of true information taken from public sources, demands prison sentences, work bans and financial penalties... The concentration of hostility and power behind the unresolved threats, attacks and pressures on the KRIK newsroom: from criminal, to tycoon and political, life threats, lawsuits aimed at financial exhaustion and threats of prison sentences, makes this newsroom the most vulnerable in the region.
On Tuesday, July 8, the editorial office of KRIK will mark ten years of its existence, in front of the court and in the courtroom, where they will be tried according to the lawsuit of judge Djordjević, who demanded a prison sentence for the editor and the journalist, as well as a work ban for the journalists. There is no greater symbolism for the position of the KRIK editorial office and journalism in today's Serbia. There is no stronger resistance than the KRIK editorial board, together with all those who support them. I would like this text to help you understand the seriousness of the situation journalism is in today in Serbia. So that, through solidarity with independent media, through direct and practical support, we manage to stop the destruction of freedom of speech and media.