Nacional (weekly)
Encyclopedia
Nacional is a Croatia
n weekly newsmagazine published in Zagreb
.
and other journalists dissatisfied with the editorial policies of Croatian weekly newspaper Globus
. Both publications were hostile to the ruling HDZ government. Soon, a bitter competition developed between the two magazines, as they tried to grab the same readership using the same techniques of investigative journalism
. Both magazines became renowned for publishing sensational articles against political opponents often based on the alleged testimonies of anonymous or fictional witnesses.
In late 1990s Nacional’s circulations plummeted following the launch of Jutarnji list
. At the end of 2000, Ivo Pukanić borrowed a loan from the Hypo bank and launched the Republika daily. Critics immediately accused the bank of influencing editorial policy and complaints of excessive advertising soon flooded in. Readers couldn’t distinguish between news articles and advertisements. It shut down after just six months with a reported loss of DM 600,000 per month. On September 5, 2001, Zagreb’s Foreign Press Bureau reported Republika: "Promised to be a respectable political newspaper. However, its profile quickly swung this paper close to being considered a tabloid. Namely, its CEO, Ivo Pukanić, is known to advocate publishing unconfirmed news, which frequently led to unfounded accusations and even litigation. Pukanić's reason for closing down the newspaper was its low readership, i.e. inadequate sales."
Pukanić then intensified Nacional’s editorial policy against leading figures in the ruling HDZ. He was the first journalist to attack Croatian general Ante Gotovina
with accusations of criminality (Nacional 204. 10.13.1999). These attacks continued between 1999-2000 in the run-up to a crucial governmental election where the HDZ was replaced. The articles bore a familiar pattern: Croatian war veterans were liberally denounced as drunkards, war profiteers, arms fixers and drug barons. Some verged on the farcical. Unidentified senior officers of the Croatian Ministry of Defence were accused of arms dealing with the IRA and ETA. This was clearly intended to signify General Gotovina whom Pukanić had previously accused as being the chief collaborator in an alleged presidential coup. The allegations were later discovered to have been fabricated in order to boost Nacional’s sales.
In 2001, General Gotovina was indicted by the ICTY and went into hiding. The general enjoys widespread support amongst the Croatian public. Pukanić claims to be the only journalist to have interviewed Gotovina since his disappearance and Nacional has published a number of articles apparently supportive to him. Gotovina supporters view Nacional’s motives with suspicion however and many consider it as commercial exploitation. Suspicions are also abound due to Pukanić’s self-confessed close relationship with Croatian police chiefs working alongside MI6 agents in Operation Cash - the undercover operation to catch Gotovina.
newsweeklies.
Nacional is owned by its editors and journalists, Ivo Pukanić being the majority shareholder.
Vienna Capital Partners
had a stake in the company.
Two others were injured.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n weekly newsmagazine published in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
.
History
Nacional was started in 1995 by Denis Kuljiš, Ivo PukanićIvo Pukanic
Ivo Pukanić was a Croatian journalist and the editor of the popular Croatian political weekly Nacional.-Life and career:Pukanić was born in Zagreb...
and other journalists dissatisfied with the editorial policies of Croatian weekly newspaper Globus
Globus (weekly)
Globus is a Croatian weekly news magazine published in Zagreb.The magazine was started in 1990, having some of its first issues published during the Croatian War of Independence. Originally devised as tabloid, it never took an openly chauvinist approach of Slobodni tjednik and always tried to give...
. Both publications were hostile to the ruling HDZ government. Soon, a bitter competition developed between the two magazines, as they tried to grab the same readership using the same techniques of investigative journalism
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
. Both magazines became renowned for publishing sensational articles against political opponents often based on the alleged testimonies of anonymous or fictional witnesses.
In late 1990s Nacional’s circulations plummeted following the launch of Jutarnji list
Jutarnji list
Jutarnji list is a daily newspaper in Croatia with a circulation of about 115,000 copies.It was launched in April 1998, becoming the first successful Croatian daily newspaper to appear since the 1950s. It was named after a Zagreb daily that used to circulate before WW2...
. At the end of 2000, Ivo Pukanić borrowed a loan from the Hypo bank and launched the Republika daily. Critics immediately accused the bank of influencing editorial policy and complaints of excessive advertising soon flooded in. Readers couldn’t distinguish between news articles and advertisements. It shut down after just six months with a reported loss of DM 600,000 per month. On September 5, 2001, Zagreb’s Foreign Press Bureau reported Republika: "Promised to be a respectable political newspaper. However, its profile quickly swung this paper close to being considered a tabloid. Namely, its CEO, Ivo Pukanić, is known to advocate publishing unconfirmed news, which frequently led to unfounded accusations and even litigation. Pukanić's reason for closing down the newspaper was its low readership, i.e. inadequate sales."
Pukanić then intensified Nacional’s editorial policy against leading figures in the ruling HDZ. He was the first journalist to attack Croatian general Ante Gotovina
Ante Gotovina
Ante Gotovina is a former Senior Corporal of the French Foreign Legion and former Lieutenant General of the Croatian Army who served in the Croatian War for Independence...
with accusations of criminality (Nacional 204. 10.13.1999). These attacks continued between 1999-2000 in the run-up to a crucial governmental election where the HDZ was replaced. The articles bore a familiar pattern: Croatian war veterans were liberally denounced as drunkards, war profiteers, arms fixers and drug barons. Some verged on the farcical. Unidentified senior officers of the Croatian Ministry of Defence were accused of arms dealing with the IRA and ETA. This was clearly intended to signify General Gotovina whom Pukanić had previously accused as being the chief collaborator in an alleged presidential coup. The allegations were later discovered to have been fabricated in order to boost Nacional’s sales.
In 2001, General Gotovina was indicted by the ICTY and went into hiding. The general enjoys widespread support amongst the Croatian public. Pukanić claims to be the only journalist to have interviewed Gotovina since his disappearance and Nacional has published a number of articles apparently supportive to him. Gotovina supporters view Nacional’s motives with suspicion however and many consider it as commercial exploitation. Suspicions are also abound due to Pukanić’s self-confessed close relationship with Croatian police chiefs working alongside MI6 agents in Operation Cash - the undercover operation to catch Gotovina.
Political stance
After the year 2000, Nacional shifted its editorial policies to include more business and entertainment oriented content. Today's Nacional is similar in format and content to German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
newsweeklies.
Nacional is owned by its editors and journalists, Ivo Pukanić being the majority shareholder.
Vienna Capital Partners
Vienna Capital Partners
Vienna Capital Partners is a corporate finance advisor and private equity investor headquartered in Vienna.The company is mainly focused on corporate finance, direct investment and trust management in Central and Eastern Europe countries.- History :...
had a stake in the company.
Ivo Pukanić
Ivo Pukanić was assassinated by car bomb at 18:20 CET on 23 October 2008 outside the offices of Nacional. Niko Franić, marketing director at Nacional also died in the explosion.Two others were injured.