index.hr

Index.hr has often had a polarizing effect on Croatian society. This is also reflected in the Reuters survey on media trust,{{cite web |url=https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024 |title=Digital News Report 2024 |publisher=Reuters |access-date=2025-05-16 }} where Index ranks first among digital-only outlets, with 46% of citizens expressing trust in the outlet. At the same time, with 29% of citizens expressing distrust, Index also tops the list of least trusted digital media.

Since 2004, Index.hr has exposed a number of major scandals that led to the resignation of seven government ministers across various administrations.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/maric-je-sedmi-ministar-kojeg-je-smijenio-index/2101029.aspx |title=Marić je sedmi ministar kojeg je smjenio Index |publisher=Index.hr |date=15 July 2019 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2014, Index exposed the biggest corruption scandal involving the then ruling Social Democratic Party (SDP). The reporting led to the dismissal and expulsion of finance minister Slavko Linić, the resignation of his deputy Branko Šegon, and Tihomir Kralj leaving the Tax Administration.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/tko-su-linic-segon-i-kralj-smijenjeni-su-nakon-sto-smo-otkrili-najvecu-aferu-sdpa/2570991.aspx |title=Tko su Linić, Šegon i Kralj? Smijenjeni su nakon što smo otkrili najveću aferu SDP-a |publisher=Index.hr |date=5 June 2024 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2018, through a series of articles, Index uncovered email correspondence between then minister Martina Dalić and a secret working group tasked with drafting the so-called Lex Agrokor legislation. The investigation later revealed a serious conflict of interest among the group’s members. The fallout led to the minister’s resignation.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/objavljujemo-mailove-martine-dalic-ovo-je-dokaz-da-je-plenkovic-znao-bas-sve-o-agrokoru/1043184.aspx |title=OBJAVLJUJEMO MAILOVE MARTINE DALIĆ Ovo je dokaz da je Plenković znao baš sve o Agrokoru |publisher=Index.hr |date=7 May 2018 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2020, Index.hr revealed that PM Andrej Plenković (HDZ) had convened a confidential meeting with selected media representatives during the COVID-19 pandemic to influence their coverage.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/sto-stoji-iza-tajnog-sastanka-plenkovica-i-glavnih-urednika-medija/2170477.aspx |title=Plenković na tajnom sastanku urednicima medija objašnjavao kako treba pisati |publisher=Index.hr |date=1 April 2020 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2021, Index exposed that Mihanović, the HDZ candidate for mayor of Split, had plagiarized his doctoral dissertation at the

University of Osijek.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/otkrice-index-istraga-hdzov-kandidat-za-gradonacelnika-splita-je-plagirao-doktorat/2257987.aspx |title=Ekskluzivno: HDZ-ov kandidat za gradonačelnika Splita je plagirao doktorat |publisher=Index.hr |date=12 March 2021 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2022, Index uncovered the largest leak of personal data in the country’s history, prompting changes to Croatian law.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/index-istrage-procurili-osobni-podaci-77-tisuca-gradjana-njihovi-oibovi-i-dugovi/2421443.aspx |title=Index Istrage: Procurili osobni podaci 77 tisuća građana, njihovi OIB-ovi i dugovi |publisher=Index.hr |date=16 December 2022 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

In 2024, Index uncovered one of the biggest fraudulent networks in the region, involving the online sale of misleadingly labeled teas and supplements. Arrests followed soon after the investigation was published.{{cite web |url=https://www.index.hr/vijesti/clanak/istrazili-smo-jednu-od-najvecih-prevara-na-balkanu-prodajom-cajeva-zgrnuli-milijune/2529473.aspx |title=Istražili smo jednu od najvećih prevara na Balkanu. Prodajom čajeva zgrnuli milijune |publisher=Index.hr |date=29 January 2024 |access-date=2025-05-16 }}

Index.hr also launched a scandal registry with documented cases of abuse of power, corruption, and public misconduct.

Index journalists have received numerous professional awards, including:

• Ilko Ćimić, 2011 – Marija Jurić Zagorka Award for investigative journalism (Croatian Journalists' Association, abbreivated as HND)
• Ilko Ćimić, 2013 – Marija Jurić Zagorka Award (HND){{cite web |url=https://www.hnd.hr/dobitnici-nagrada-hrvatskog-novinarskog-drustva-od-1954-godine-do-danas |title=Dobitnici nagrada Hrvatskog novinarskog društva od 1954. godine do danas |publisher=Croatian Journalists' Association |access-date=2025-05-16 }}
• Ilko Ćimić & Oriana Ivković-Novokmet, 2018 – Marija Jurić Zagorka Award (HND)
• Ilko Ćimić & Oriana Ivković-Novokmet, 2018 – Jasna Babić Award for investigative journalism (HND)
• Vladimir Matijanić, 2022 – Marija Jurić Zagorka Award for online journalism (HND)
• Vladimir Matijanić, 2022 – Otokar Keršovani Lifetime Achievement Award (HND)
• Ilko Ćimić, 2022 – Marija Jurić Zagorka Award for online journalism (HND)

In 2004, Croatian singer Severina sued Index.hr for publishing explicit screenshots from a sex tape she had made. The part of the lawsuit dealing with copyright infringement was dismissed, but Index was ordered to pay the singer HRK100,000 as compensation for violation of privacy.{{cite web|url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/mozaik/zivot/severina-dobila-parnicu-protiv-index-hr-a-5637|title=Severina dobila parnicu protiv Index.hr-a|date=2 May 2008|work=Slobodna Dalmacija|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}

In 2012, enforcement action was initiated against Index.hr for failing to pay the compensation which had grown to HRK200,000 with interest and court costs.{{cite web|last=Jurasić|first=Dijana|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/showbiz/index-pod-ovrhom-jer-severini-nije-platio-200000-kuna-398412|title=Index pod ovrhom jer Severini nije platio 200.000 kuna|date=15 April 2012|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}

In 2014, after ten years of court proceedings against Index.hr without compensation, Severina was granted the status of intellectual proprietor of Index's brand and logo through enforcement action,{{cite web|last=Panić|first=Velibor|url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/severina-postala-vlasnica-imena-index.hr-ovrsila-je-logotip-i-zig-portala-850369|title=Severina postala vlasnica imena Index.hr: Ovršila je logotip i žig portala|date=6 January 2014|work=Jutarnji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} though the court thereafter ruled that compensation could not be sought from the publisher's account.{{cite web|last=Jurasić|first=Dijana|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/severina-ipak-ne-moze-ovrsiti-zig-portala-indexhr-928798|title=Severina ipak ne može ovršiti žig portala Index.hr|date=25 March 2014|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}

In 2014, the then Minister of Finance, Slavko Linić, initiated two lawsuits against Index promocija d.o.o. (Index.hr publisher) and Index.hr for damages valued at HRK210,000,{{cite web|last=Opačak-Klobučar|first=Tamara|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/ni-linic-ni-babic-nisu-se-pojavili-na-sudu-929422|title=Ni Linić ni Babić nisu se pojavili na sudu|date=27 March 2014|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} which were dismissed at the Rijeka County Court for first instance proceedings.{{cite web|url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/linic-izgubio-spor-protiv-indexa-nakladnik-prenio-tocnu-informaciju-261846|title=Linić izgubio spor protiv Indexa, nakladnik prenio točnu informaciju|date=30 January 2015|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}

In 2016, Index.hr and its journalists received criticism and death threats after publishing a controversial article regarding the veneration of the remains of Croatian Catholic saint Leopold Mandić. The Croatian Journalists' Association (HND) condemned both the words used by the site, which they described as "deeply insulting and disparaging" to believers, as well as the threats made against the newspaper.{{cite web|url=https://m.vecernji.hr/vijesti/hnd-osudio-tekstove-koji-vrijedaju-osjecaje-vjernika-1076827|title=HND osudio tekstove koji vrijeđaju osjećaje vjernika|date=16 April 2016|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/hnd-osudio-napade-na-indexhr-zbog-tekstova-o-svetom-leopoldu-mandicu-1077603|title=HND osudio napade na Index.hr zbog tekstova o svetom Leopoldu Mandiću|date=19 April 2016|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} The Croatian Journalists and Publicists association (HNiP) accused the Council for Electronic Media (VEM) of "unethical ideological bias" for not holding the publisher of Index.hr (Index promocija d.o.o.) responsible and its "contextual defense of insulting religion and the religious feelings of Croatian citizens of the Roman Catholic faith".{{cite web|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/hnip-upozorava-na-neeticnost-indexhr-nije-kaznjen-za-neprimjeren-tekst-o-dolasku-tijela-sv-leopolda-mandica-1085286|title=HNiP upozorava na neetičnost: Index.hr nije kažnjen za neprimjeren tekst o dolasku tijela sv. Leopolda Mandića|date=18 May 2016|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} In 2017, five civil associations lost a first-instance court case against Index.hr in which they alleged that the text discriminated against Catholics. The judge accepted Index.hr's defense that believers were not the target and that the article was satirical criticism.{{cite web|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/udruga-u-ime-obitelji-izgubila-presudu-protiv-indexa-najavljena-zalba-1205993|title=Udruga U ime obitelji izgubila presudu protiv Indexa, najavljena žalba|date=6 November 2017|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}

In February 2014, after a long period of account blocking due to amassed debt, the Croatian finance agency Fina rejected the proposal for a pre-bankruptcy settlement of HRK2.4 million by the companies Index portal d.o.o. and Prva stanica d.o.o. related to the business of the brand, owned by Babić.{{cite web|last=Nezirović|first=Vanja|url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/index.hr-trazi-pokretanje-predstecajne-nagodbe-dvije-babiceve-tvrtke-duguju-24-mil.-kuna-859450|title=Index.hr traži pokretanje predstečajne nagodbe: Dvije Babićeve tvrtke duguju 2,4 mil. kuna|date=6 February 2014|work=Jutarnji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jutarnji.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/pokrece-se-stecaj-nad-portalom-index.hr-fina-odbacila-prijedlog-za-predstecajnu-nagodbu-868315|title=Pokreće se stečaj nad portalom Index.hr: Fina odbacila prijedlog za predstečajnu nagodbu|date=28 February 2014|work=Jutarnji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} Later that same year Babić was also accused of using fictitious contracts with Vana Šalov Violić to sell his damaged company for around HRK2.8 million. In April 2015 he was sentenced to one year in prison at the Zagreb County Court after pleading guilty and settling with the prosecution. The one-year prison sentence was replaced by community service, and he was fined HRK300,000. According to the verdict, Babić and Šalov Violić had to pay about 1 million kuna to the state budget, and about HRK600,000 to the company they damaged.{{cite web|url=https://www.tportal.hr/vijesti/clanak/u-stecaju-jos-jedna-tvrtka-matije-babica-osnivaca-portala-index-20160114|title=U stečaju još jedna tvrtka Matije Babića, osnivača portala Index|date=14 January 2016|work=Tportal.hr|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}}{{cite web|last=Jakelić|first=Ivana|url=https://www.vecernji.hr/vijesti/matija-babic-osuden-na-rad-za-opce-dobro-1000093|title=Matija Babić osuđen na rad za opće dobro|date=13 April 2015|work=Večernji list|language=hr|access-date=25 December 2022}} In 2016, Sport Index d.o.o., another company related to Index.hr and Babić, was opening bankruptcy proceedings with an established debt of over HRK290,000.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}} {{in lang|hr}}
• [http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/index.hr Index.hr] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214133958/http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/index.hr |date=2010-02-14 }} at Alexa.com

Category:Croatian news websites

Category:Internet properties established in 2002

Category:2002 establishments in Croatia

Category:Mass media in Zagreb

Category:Croatian-language websites