Dear Friends,
We inform you that according to the information we possess Serbian regime on March 11
raised indictment against our daily independent newspaper "Kosova Sot".
According to the issued statements from the press conference of the Serbian ministry of
information held on March 12 at 1300 hrs, the news was announced that our newspaper is
supposed to pay the fine in accordance with the very primitive and middle age law, with an
accelerated procedure and maximal fine. Editing house "Interpress R. Company"
officially is supposed to pay the fine of 800.000 dinars while newspaper's publisher
Ruzhdi Kadriu and Ibrahim Rexhepi, chief editor are supposed to pay 400.000 each. The
total sum is 1.6 million dinars.
This is a Draconian and unbearable penalty. Frankly, it means the definitive ban for our
newspaper "Kosova Sot" and furthermore without our participation in court. This
reminds us on middle age courts. We reiterate that the measure and the above mentioned
fine for "Kosova Sot" is not spontaneous knowing from who it was issued.
The daily newspaper "Kosova Sot" started being edited on September 11, 1998. It
appeared with a humble number of copies from 10.000 to 12.000 copies while only after
three months it come out to be the most readable newspaper in Kosova with over 35.000
printed and sold copies. At the very beginning Serbian regime was aggravated with the
front page that why it was called "Kosova Sot" and not "Kosmet Sot".
They were upset with our fertile and independent editorial policy but the fact that
annoyed them most was the rapid increasing of the number of readers in all towns and
villages of Kosova.
Three days ago Serbian ministry had enough and decided in most perfidious and completely
middle age manner to castigate respectively ban the daily newspaper "Kosova
Sot". We did what we could until now. Now we are uncertain that Serbian regime is
going tomorrow or day after tomorrow to bring the final decision on banning the newspaper.
The newest current situation overcomes our capacity to face with the crisis created by
Serbian regime.
We pledge for your confidence, get involved and support us in any manner in order to ease
or free us from this evil that is attacking our newspaper and particularly free word of
the press.
Prishtina We count on your support. 13 March 1999
Respectfully,
Publisher and editorial staff of "KOSOVA SOT"
E-mail: <inpres@EUNET.YU> |
