Minister Lecic congratulated Politika's anniversary

Belgrade, Jan 23 2004. - Serbian Minister of Culture and Media Branislav Lecic offered congratulations to the Director General of Belgrade daily Politika, Darko Ribnikar, for the newspapers' 100th anniversary.

Lecic said that Politika has been a chronicler of tempestuous times Serbia has gone through in the past 100 years, alone or as part of state unions of South Slavs. During that time, Politika has been respected and loved in all parts of those unions.

The Minister of Culture said that journalism and media historians will be able to give a more accurate analyses of Politika's role during the turbulent times Serbia has gone through since 1904. However, those who have witnessed Politika's work during the last few decades can maintain that this daily has been an example of responsible and high-quality journalism.

Still, everyone can confirm that Politika gave way before the invasion of false patriots and sycophants in late 1980s, who gave themselves the right to gamble with the daily's reputation, Lecic said. However, it is important that Politika found inner strength and managed to break through with this situation, and than to establish a new, modern concept of journalism, with the help of its foreign partner, the WAZ media company, Lecic concluded.