Social Democratic Party (SDP) chief Pedja Grbin on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, saying he had "attacked media freedom" and asking for an explanation of the term 'semi-legal', which the Prime Minister recently used to describe the operations of the N1 television network in Croatia.

He was referring to Prime Minister Plenković’s statement made earlier this week about the N1 television broadcaster, which, he said “operates semi-legally in Croatia”, describing his words as an attack on media freedom, which is essential for the functioning of a democratic society.

“This kind of an attack on media freedom and freedom of speech is an attack on democracy. Croatia will be democratic, it has to be, despite the party in power. Andrej Plenkovic will not become Croatia’s Aleksandar Vucic,” Grbin said, referring to the president of the neighbouring Serbia.

Grbin asked why the government is not taking any action if it believes that certain media outlets do not operate in line with Croatian laws, adding that “the Prime Minister’s attacks on the media are attacks on democracy.”

“As a politician who has to decide on numerous laws in the Croatian Parliament, I want a clear explanation as to what ‘semi-legal’ or ‘semi-illegal’ means. And why, if something is semi-legal or semi-illegal, the government isn’t doing anything,” Grbin told a news conference.

The media, he added, are obliged to write critically about anyone who holds a public office, and politicians should react if they believe that something untrue has been published about them.

Speaking about the proposed laws, Grbin criticized changes to the Penal Code to be discussed by MPs next week, warning that they will prevent the release of information that PM Plenkovic does not like.

“If this kind of law had been applied in the USA, the Watergate scandal would not have been uncovered, and Richard Nixon, despite having organised a break-in in the office of a rival party, would have remained the president of the USA. That is what Plenkovic wants to create in Croatia,” Grbin said.

Grbin said there is no comparison between President Zoran Milanovic and Plenkovic when media freedom is concerned.

“(Milanovic’s) way of communication is not my way of communication, but he does not have the authority to propose the Criminal Code and the Media Law. The prime minister is the one who has the tools to turn his words into action,” Grbin said when asked if he had double criteria for Plenkovic and Milanovic.

A major problem for many journalists and media outlets are SLAPP lawsuits, because of which Croatia ends up paying penalties after the European Court of Human Rights first rules in favor of the journalists, the SDP president said.

He added that the judicial system is not functioning because the ruling coalition does not want to pass laws regulating the issue of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

Grbin said Judge Ivan Turudic, one of the candidates for the new state attorney general, is a “champion of SLAPP lawsuits”, and he also did not have a positive opinion of Tuduric’s work programme, which he attached to his application for the position.

“The most important thing for Tuduric is the physical distance between the Office of the State Attorney General and the anti-corruption office (USKOK). A law student would have written more,” Grbin said.