Ombudswoman and ENNHRI Chair Lora Vidović together with her Deputy and EQUINE Executive Board Chair Tena Šimonović Einwalter met with the EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers Protection and Gender Equality Vera Jourova, at the international conference ‘EU’s Global Leadership in the Rule of Law’, organised by Jean Monnet’ Centre for Excellence of the Zagreb Law School and European Commission Representation in Croatia, held on 22 February 2019 in the European House.
During the meeting special emphasis was given to the importance of the support to the human rights institutions for human rights and equality bodies’ independence. As the Chairs of ENNHRI and EQUINET both the Ombudswoman and her Deputy highlighted that the independence of these institutions is a key prerequisite for unhindered and successful fulfilment of their important mandates in human rights protection and suppression of discrimination. Among concrete examples an current situation of the polish Ombudsman Adam Bodnar was discussed, whom the polish TV sued asking from him an excuse for his public questioning whether the TV reporting prior to the assassination of the ex-mayor of Gdansk Pawel Adamowicz constitutes hate speech or not.
Both the Ombudswoman and her Deputy expressed their concern with the media freedom in Croatia and informed the Commissioner with the fact that the Croatian HRT sued 36 journalists for protection of dignity and honour asking from them 2, 2 million Kuna for compensation. Such action on behalf of the public broadcaster against their own and other media journalists is worrying for freedom of expression since it may encourage the censorship advocates and incite self-censorship among journalists.