Environment and Energy Minister Tomislav Coric on Tuesday denied claims of defaming and monitoring internal correspondence by N1 TV reporter Hrvoje Kresic, who asked him about a memorandum between INA and JANAF earlier in the day, saying that he resolutely denies claims of any wrongdoing.

“I am sorry that part of the media used my statement, i.e. my response to a reporter, for a theory of monitoring, tapping or any other unacceptable act. Never in my life would it cross my mind to encroach into anyone’s privacy and particularly not a reporter’s. I resolutely deny any possibility of something like that,” Minister Coric told Hina.

He referred to media claims that his response during a press conference earlier in the day insinuated that the reporter was working in someone’s interest.

“My statement said during today’s press conference was nothing more than a response to a question which tried to imply that I had attempted to sell Croatia’s national interests, or rather bring them into question. I did not, I am not and will never do that.”

Asked how he managed to gain insight into the reporter’s correspondence, Coric said, “Simple. I got that information from reporters’ circles.”

HND strongly condemns Minister Coric’s statements

The Croatian Journalists’ Association (HND) and its N1 television branch today strongly condemned statements made by Minister Coric, who referred to N1 reporter Kresic as a “person who is marginally involved in the oil business” and insinuated that he had had access to text messages in a journalists’ group chat.

The HND also condemned the minister’s statement that it was obvious from Kresic’s text messages that he was dissatisfied on a personal level with the individuals the minister had proposed as new members of the INA management board.

The insinuations that a journalist who asks questions is working for other people’s interests, has a political agenda, and is not working for the public interest, the HND noted, is a gross distortion of roles in a democratic society, in which elected politicians should answer to the public and do their jobs transparently.

We Can! platform condemns Coric’s attack on journalist

The We Can! political platform condemned Coric’s attack on Kresic, saying that Coric’s statement revealed that the HDZ-led government was monitoring internal communications between journalists, that they openly acknowledged that and used it for attacking journalists.