The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists from South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is concerned about the apparent lack of progress in the investigation of the attempted murder of Ivo Pukanic, co-owner and director of Nacional, a weekly news magazine in Croatia.

As outlined in an earlier SEEMO statement, on 9 April 2008, an unidentified assailant carrying a gun with a silencer fired a shot at Pukanic, but missed; the assailant ultimately fled the scene after his gun jammed up. One month after the attack, nobody has been charged in connection therewith.

Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General, emphasized the importance of finding the assailant, stating, “Nacional, Pukanic’s publication, plays an important role in Croatia. The fact that the attacker tried to kill Pukanic in a public place demonstrates a dangerous sense of confidence about being above the law. It is important for authorities to counter such brazen attacks with vigorous and thorough investigations.”