The incident took place in Vinkovci where the police started the search of two vehicles parked outside the house of the former minister. At that moment Mario Žalac showed up and started shouting at reporters: “Thank you all” and turned to Drago Hedl and said: “Mr Hedl, how are you? I know everything about you, Held! You should light a candle for All Saints’ Day.”
He then proceeded towards reporters but the police stopped him, the HND said in a press release.
The HND condemns such behaviour and once again calls on relevant institutions to react to open threats against journalists. Hedl is an awarded journalist and prominent member of the HND and the former minister was arrested today in connection with a scandal about which Hedl and his colleagues wrote about, the press release said.
“The HND once again warns about the lynching atmosphere in society aimed against reporters. This is unacceptable and we demand severe sanctions for all those who are verbally and physically attacking our colleagues who are doing their job in the public interest,” read the press release signed by HND president Hrvoje Zovko.
