If Marios Hartsiotis is indeed so determined to restore a sense of security, as much as he claims with his other actions, he should be careful not to nullify his own efforts.
We are referring to the intolerance the Minister of Justice shows towards the fourth estate, the operatives of print and electronic media. He indirectly condemns their stance, even when their publications clearly aim to exercise good journalistic scrutiny and serve the public interest.
For Hartsiotis, however, the principles served by journalism are obviously mere formalities. His approach towards the Police and journalists has completely changed.
He now openly admits that he has linked public safety to withholding information from the press, without ever providing a reasoned argument for it.
We addressed this intolerance towards press freedom with arguments and evidence last Saturday, April 13th.
The revelation of numerical data regarding an ongoing operation against the underworld clearly bothered him.
He expressed this when, after receiving a question in an interview, he said that such information should not have been published without explaining what exactly upset him.
Yesterday, we reached a climax. Mr Hartsiotis not only confirmed that everything we experience is part of his Ministry’s policy, but also dismissed the role of journalists. He stated all this with unprecedented audacity.
He believes, as he said, that certain issues that “are ranked as serious for internal order and security should not be exposed.”
Once again, he gave no explanation as to why he has associated order and security with obscurantism. Moreover, he told us what to do: “The media and journalists should have no complaints.”
The issue here is not theoretical. In practice, we now experience unprecedented tactics under Hartsiotis’ ministry:
- Three administrative investigations into the Police due to press reports on January 19th, February 12th, and March 26th.
- Official information is being released with great delay from the Cyprus Police regarding serious events (e.g., a tragic death of a foreigner in Limassol).
- Pressure within the Force to prevent information from reaching the media.
- Verbal disagreement in RIK’s studio with a journalist (March 14th) because he asked questions about the issue of the Monastery of Saint Habakkuk (“It’s not right to say ‘I ask’ to a minister,” he said, followed by a similar response from a colleague).
- Complaint from a police unionist about attempts to silence him.
- Statements by the Minister against freedom of the press.
Those with journalistic education know well that any pressure exerted by the media always brings positive results.
The scrutiny by the fourth estate aims to identify problems that need to be solved or leads the scrutinized official into a continuous process of self-criticism, aiming for the best possible service of public interest.
However, when you believe that the media only cause problems, it means either you don’t understand the role that the function of the free press is committed to, or you have reasons to dislike journalistic scrutiny.
To make it clearer what we mean, we will recall the junta of the colonels in Greece and their tactics of the 7-year “governance.”
One of the first actions of the group of Papadopoulos and Pattakos was the complete control of the media, censorship, and generally silencing journalists. We are still experiencing the tragic consequences for Hellenism today.
It would be wise for the Minister not to overlook these negative side effects.
Because as much as he wants to serve society, nothing will be achieved with controlled journalism. On the contrary, problems will escalate.
