The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) on Saturday asked President Zoran Milanovic to stop insulting the journalistic profession, saying that his statements about journalists and the media are inappropriate and to be condemned.

The HND commented on Milanovic’s statement that he did not follow the media. “They follow me, like scabies, like a skin infection… It’s awfully bad. The education criterion has declined enormously. It’s a totally neglected profession,” the president said.

The HND said in a press release that such assessments did not befit the head of state in a democratic society and that they were insulting to all journalists as well as an unacceptable generalisation of a public interest profession.

The HND said numerous governments were responsible for the “devastated” journalistic scene, including Milanovic’s when he was prime minister, during which the current law on the public broadcaster was adopted, which, the HND said, was having disastrous consequences.

The HND said that over the past 30 years journalists played an important role in uncovering numerous irregularities in society, and criticised the behaviour of the president and the prime minister “in these moments of crisis.”

The HND urged Milanovic to just answer questions from the press, without belittling and vilifying, reminding him that in his inauguration speech he underlined the importance of protecting and promoting the independence of the media.

The HND reiterated its call on all office holders to just answer questions from the press.