Croatian Couple Jailed for Assaulting Journalists

The news in Croatian

1. bračan
   vezano uz brak ili supružnike ↩︎
2. emisija  (f.)
   prijenos zvuka ili slike putem radijskog, televizijskog ili elektroničkog medija ↩︎
3. zadržati
   pridržati ili spriječiti nekoga da ode ↩︎
4. istraga  (f.)
   postupak ispitivanja detalja mogućeg zločina ↩︎
5. oštećenje  (n.)
   oštećivanje ili uništavanje nečega ↩︎
6. optužiti
   formalno izjaviti da je netko kriv za prijestup ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Why were the couple jailed after attacking the journalists?

Question 2: What additional accusation is made against the couple besides the assault on journalists?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
bračan	marital
emisija  (f.)	broadcast
zadržati	detained
istraga  (f.)	investigation
oštećenje  (n.)	damage
optužiti	accuse

Read the full story

A shocking **physical assault** on a Croatian journalistic team has led to the arrest and detention of a married couple, Z.M. (65) and N.H.M. (54). The incident occurred at **Štrbački buk**, a picturesque site along the River Una known for its natural beauty. The journalists from the TV show **Provjereno** were investigating reported environmental damage in the area when the attack unfolded.

During their investigation, journalist **Danka Derifaj** and cameraman **Miroslav Bokan** were confronted by the couple, resulting in Bokan being physically assaulted and Derifaj receiving a slap. The confrontation escalated into a ten-minute standoff of physical shoving and verbal altercations before police were called by both parties.

Following the incident, both attackers were arrested and the **County Court in Karlovac** ordered their detention due to the risk of their fleeing. With dual citizenship in Croatia and **Bosnia and Herzegovina**, the couple poses a potential flight risk. They can be released if they pay a bail of €15,000 each, though the court saw no immediate risk of them repeating the offence.

This incident is part of a larger narrative of ongoing illegal activities alleged by local residents, which include the **commercial exploitation** of public land by the couple, such as **destroying natural formations** and charging entrance fees to tourists. Despite numerous reports, state authorities have not intervened, leaving journalists like Derifaj to bring these issues to light.

Derifaj expressed concerns that if authorities had acted on previous reports, this violent incident might have been avoided. She hopes the assault will galvanize official agencies to finally address the environmental violations. Both the **Croatian Journalists’ Association** and a Croatian minister have publicly condemned the attack and called for immediate action ensuring journalist safety.

As legal proceedings progress against the couple, questions remain about the preventive measures in place for the protection of journalists working in potentially hostile environments, alongside the broader issue of accountability for environmental degradation.

Info: ”Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, a language school that offers a wide range of online Croatian courses. For those interested in an immersive experience, our summer school in Croatia provides the perfect opportunity to advance your language skills while experiencing the culture firsthand.