A hearing in a proceeding that is a company "Millennium Team" launched against journalists Maje Nikolić's N1 was postponed again, because even this time Stojan Vujko, the legal representative of that company, did not appear before the Third Basic Court in Belgrade.
The "Millennium Team" is demanding in a private criminal lawsuit that Nikolić be sentenced to one year in prison for allegedly damaging business reputation and creditworthiness.
The journalist's lawyer, Nevena Marinković, assessed that it was an abuse of the procedure and its procrastination, since Vujko already justified his absence for the second time through official means, writes Serbian Association of Journalists.
The judge therefore ordered the lawyer of the "Millennium Team" to submit within 15 days the dates in which Vujko will certainly be in Belgrade by the end of the year, so that the next hearing could be held.
Purchase of Hotel "Yugoslavia"
The lawsuit was filed at the beginning of February due to the text that Nikolić published on the N1 website on January 15, which referred to the purchase Hotel "Yugoslavia" and state subsidies related to the operations of the "Millennium Team".
The company claims that the text contains several untrue statements about its operations, including allegations that the state helps the richest with citizens' money and that funds are directed through projects and subsidies to companies close to the government.
"Millenium Team" believes that by publishing those claims, Nikolić committed the criminal offense of damaging business reputation and creditworthiness under Article 239, Paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. Although the law provides for a fine, the company in the lawsuit is only asking for a prison sentence for the journalist.
In the lawsuit, the company states that it has been operating for more than 20 years, that it is one of the most successful and reputable in the country, and that no corruption-related proceedings have been conducted against it or the responsible persons.
At the same time, she claims that the journalist damaged her business reputation with untrue and unproven claims and exposed her to public suspicion.
Attempt to restrict freedom of expression
On the other hand, Marinković assesses that the lawsuit is unfounded and represents an attempt to restrict freedom of expression.
She claims that in the case of Nikolić, the legal elements of a criminal offense were not met, because, as she states, the journalist did not present false information nor did she intend to harm the reputation of the company or its creditworthiness.
Marinković also pointed to the dynamics of the procedure, assessing that it can be aimed at self-censorship and deterring journalists from reporting on certain topics.
As one of the reasons for such suspicion, she cited the fact that the legal representative of the "Millennium Team" did not appear twice at the mediation hearing.
Marinković expects that the next hearing will be scheduled soon and expressed her hope that it will be held this time.
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