The story of a media conspiracy is associated with repression

First, at Aktualni Pripodenev in the Croatian Parliament, he stuck to his formulation about the "media axis of evil", which he made at the party meeting before the last parliamentary elections, and then the same afternoon, in an address to journalists, he warned that "something is wrong" with the media.

Again, as in the Parliament, he referred to the news about the increase in Croatia's credit rating, which is obviously very itchy to him, he emphasized that "on the covers of all the key newspapers, except for one, that news was hidden", and then concluded: "If you have a historical rating and if that good news is ignored in the media, then something is wrong."

That the "axis of evil" is not at work again?

"Was any of what I said untrue," Plenković snapped yesterday morning to an SDP representative when she asked if the statement stated that "Telegram, N1, Index, 24sata and Nacional are the axis of evil."

There must be some conspiracy

And so, these days, the prime minister has been carefully completing his media scrapbook, cutting out headlines and his impressive photos, and noticed that "something is wrong" there. Why on earth is no one pointing out his great achievements?

It must be some kind of conspiracy.

"It is a serious problem of Croatian society, which is important to us, what citizens should know or what should be hidden," said Plenković, who apparently strongly believes that the media deliberately hid the news about the increase in Croatia's credit rating. Although it was properly published in all media.

And so, we find ourselves in an intriguing situation: Plenković reproaches the media for "hiding" things that he would like to inflame on all the front pages, just as he reproaches them for inflaming things that he would like to hide on all the front pages.

For example, corruption scandals, arrests of ministers, transcripts, various "APs"...

Plenković would like the media to emphasize successes and bury skeletons. So what prime minister or ruling politician wouldn't want that?

Ask Zoran Milanović what he would like to read about in the newspaper and what he would like to watch on television. Or Ivan Penavu. Or Nikola Grmoja. Or Sandra Benčić. Or Peđa Grbina, if he still exists.

Loaded with media

Plenković is burdened by the media and journalists he considers biased. But only those who are not partial to Plenković himself, HDZ and his Government. He loves, appreciates, respects and never criticizes them, classifying the others as the "axis of evil".

In a democratic society, the media, exposed to the market and survival, treat the news in accordance with their own assessments, preferences and editorial policies. In dictatorships, the media write what the great leader wants written.

As a reader, Plenković can get angry with the media when they don't put on the front pages or in the first minutes of the diary news that interests him or glorifies him. And which he would put in his scrapbook.

He attacks like a prime minister

But when he attacks the media as prime minister, in a country where he has already subdued or occupied all other institutions, destroyed the opposition, dominated almost all aspects of society, silenced almost all pockets of resistance, then it is worrying.

And not long after the results of research on the decline of media freedom in Croatia are published regularly, mostly under the influence of the ruling structure.

That should make the headlines too. Not just credit rating. And that's what's really "wrong", not the fact that the credit rating hasn't been in the headlines as much as the prime minister wanted it to be.

Plenković is, of course, a friend and admirer of the media and journalists who write, criticize or call out his political rivals or opponents.

As it is always politicians in the opposition, which changes rapidly and drastically after they come to power.

Threats and hatred

But when you have a prime minister in his third term who warns, publicly, that "something is wrong" with the media and talks about some kind of "axes of evil", then it is clear that he is not only threatening political repression, which the government can carry out over the media on more way, spreads distrust and contempt of the public and audience towards the media, and at the same time puts a target on the media and journalists' backs.

Journalists whose names are on various lists of arrested terrorists, who are exposed to threats and pressure on social networks or in their daily work, are not protected like the prime minister who, as the most protected politician in the country, complains about attacks and conspiracies, and then himself creates conspiracies against those who do not enjoy the protection of an armored car and a police escort.

That is what is "wrong", not the fact that the media did not adequately celebrate the credit rating increase, with a magnificent photo of the best prime minister.

Andrej Plenković protests that the media "hides" what pleases him and reveals what angers him. But as long as that is the case, there is still hope for Croatian society. When that goes out, Croatia is over.

(24sata.hr)