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**** Romanian Member of European Parliament (MEP) Becali Uses Obscene Language towards Journalist Vienna, 30 March 2010 - The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) strongly condemns the discourteous language used by Romanian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) George Becali towards Cornelia Popescu, a journalist for the online newspaper ZIUA Veche in Romania. According to information received by the Media Monitoring Agency, on 10 March 2010 Popescu conducted an interview by telephone with MEP Becali during which she asked him about the declarations of financial interests he made to the European Parliament, as well as subsequent declarations. As a reaction, Becali allegedly answered using virulently obscene language. Popescu asked Becali why he was talking to her in such a manner. SEEMO Secretary General Oliver Vujovic said: "SEEMO strongly condemns the use of such obscene language by a Member of the European Parliament towards a journalist. Such behaviour is considered a clear signal aimed at intimidating journalists and an attack on the freedom to report freely on current affairs. Journalists have the right to report freely on all issues of public interest." **** The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional media organisation, and a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, new media and news agencies from South East and Central Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI). SEEMO is active, according to the geographical position in Europe, in: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania, Republic of Macedonia / FYROM, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. **** SEEMO publications are: SEEMO South East and Central Europe Media Handbook (annual publication since 2003, latest edition published in 2008), deScripto Magazine (quarterly publication), Investigative Reporting Handbook and Media and Minorities in SEE. **** SEEMO on Web: www.seemo.org and on www.seemo.info www.seemo.or.at www.seemo.at www.seemo.me www.seemo.eu www.seemo.sk www.seemo.ro www.seemo.rs www.seemo.pl www.seemo.cc www.seemo.us www.seemo.es www.seemo.be www.seemo.biz www.seemo.si www.seemo.tv www.seemo.ch www.seemo.cz www.seemo.gr www.descripto.info www.seemf.info **** 2010 is the year of SEEMO's 10th anniversary More about SEEMO activities in 2010 on: http://www.seemo.org/activities/futureact.html **** This information is sent to you in compliance with the Austrian Telekommunikationsgesetz (TKG ยง107). If you do not want to receive further mailings, please send an e-mail with "UNSUBSCRIBE" to: [email protected]
