/ world today news/ The Committee on Journalistic Ethics of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists issued an opinion on the presentation of the editor-in-chief of the SBZ website, Kudrinka Kudrinova. Kudrinova referred the Commission for “threats directed at her by the member of the CEM Betina Zoteva during a meeting of the Culture and Media Committee of the National Assembly on June 15, 2017.”
Here is the full text of the opinion of the Committee on Journalistic Ethics of the SBZ:
“The Committee on Journalistic Ethics of the SBZ became familiar with the presentation of the responsible editor of the SBZ website Kudrinka Kudrinova regarding threats addressed to her by the member of the CEM Betina Zoteva during a meeting of the Culture and Media Commission of the National Assembly on June 15, 2017 d. in connection with the case surrounding “Radio Bulgaria”.
The commission got acquainted with the distributed audio recording of the same case and with a number of interviews given by Mrs. Zoteva to various media.
1. The commission considers the threats and aggressive remarks addressed to the well-known and respected journalist Kudrinka Kudrinova in the performance of her professional duties, by a member of CEM – the regulatory body whose task is to protect “freedom and pluralism of speech and information” to be unacceptable. , as recorded on the CEM website. Such behavior is unacceptable and goes against basic principles of journalistic ethics and freedom of speech – fundamental values in any democratic society.
The Committee on Journalistic Ethics of the SBJ will continue to defend the right of journalists to ask their questions without fear and risk of being subjected to external pressure. As a member of CEM, Bettina Zoteva should know that there are no awkward questions, there are inadequate answers. In this case, the threats made by her cannot be accepted in any other way than as an attack on the freedom of speech and the journalist’s right to exercise his profession freely. Long gone are the days when journalists were required to ask pre-prepared convenient questions. As a member of the CEM, Bettina Zoteva should be a guarantor, not a censor, of journalistic freedom.
2. In her series of statements, Bettina Zoteva shifts the focus of the problem that has arisen. The issue is ethical and journalistic, not political as she tries to make it out to be. It qualifies it as a “giant manipulation”, “a classic example of fake news”, “hybrid attack”, etc., which, according to the Commission, does not correspond to the truth. Unfounded accusations and “intrigues” for which there are no grounds and evidence cannot be attributed to a journalistic question that aims to establish the truth.
3. “The style is the man,” says the French naturalist Buffon. We are embarrassed that Ms. Zoteva, who has been a journalist, media expert and diplomat for years, can come up with lines worth quoting: “So whoever tried to get me into an intrigue, he didn’t miss a beat. Very carefully! But very carefully with me especially.”
To Kudrinova’s question, “What does this mean – is it a threat?”, Zoteva’s answer is: “Absolutely. In front of everyone”.
And another line of hers to Kudrinova: “If you open your mouth about me one more time, you’ll see what’s going on.”
The overall behavior and style of Mrs. Zoteva is contrary to the fundamental principle of the Code of Ethics of the Bulgarian media, to which a member of the CEM should adhere: “…everyone has the basic right to freedom of expression, access to information, protection of personal dignity and privacy and right to safety and security”.
4. Ms. Zoteva should rethink her behavior and apologize to her colleague Kudrinova and the entire journalistic community. But we see that instead of doing so, she claims in her statements that she will sue Kudrinova. We are puzzled on what Ms. Zoteva would base a possible lawsuit after the occasion was a journalistic question. If this path is followed, if colleague Kudrinova “will face many court cases”, as Zoteva promised, this may give rise to the collapse of Bulgaria to an even lower position than the unenviable 109th place in terms of media freedom.
Accepting the case of demonstrative neglect of journalistic work and encroachment on free speech, the Committee on Journalistic Ethics of the SBJ expects the CEM to come out with a position on the matter.
Committee on journalistic ethics of the SBZ, composed of:
Maria Netsova, chairman
Zlatka Mihailova
Women Moneva
Ivan Todorov
Sofia, 23.06.2017.”
Earlier, the “Union of Publishers in Bulgaria” also came out with a position regarding the scandal between Betina Zoteva and Kudrinka Kudrinova. In it, they express their disagreement with the open threats made by SEM member Bettina Zoteva, and stand firm in their position in defense of freedom of speech and the right of journalists to ask questions.
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