Announcements

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly condemns the physical attack on the editor of the Volim Zrenjanin portal, Aleksandar Blanuša, who was assaulted by a man while reporting from the promotional event of the EXPO exhibition in Zrenjanin. As a result of the attack, Blanuša sustained injuries to his elbow and back and sought medical assistance. We also strongly condemn the threats, including threats of sexual violence and insults that incite interethnic hatred, directed at journalist Kristina Demeter Filipčev from the Bečejski mozaik portal following her reporting from the SNS gathering in Bečej.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) warns against and condemns the practice of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its supporters to prevent objective and timely information for citizens during the election campaign, while physically attacking journalists, expelling them from gatherings and events, and insulting and intimidating them.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly protests the decision of the Government of Serbia to expel Massimo Moratti, a researcher from the Trans-European Observatory for the Balkans, and to prohibit his entry into the country for one year. The Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that the reason for this decision was "an unacceptable security risk for the country," without providing further explanations regarding the basis for such an assessment.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) warns that the departure of Mihailo Jovićević from the position of editor-in-chief of the portal Nova.rs, in the context of a series of previous personnel changes and at the beginning of the election campaign, represents yet another reason for serious concern regarding the continued pressure on independent media and attempts to stifle critical journalism. According to reports from Raskrikavanje, Jovićević was offered a mutual agreement to terminate his contract just one month after being relieved of his position as director of United Media Digital; however, he did not wish to comment on the reasons for his departure for this media outlet.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly condemns the latest in a series of disturbing messages directed at the editorial team of the INMedija portal from Inđija, which explicitly states that “a witch hunt is starting against you.” The journalists at INMedija have taken this threat very seriously and fear for their own safety. ANEM demands an urgent response from the relevant prosecutor's office and suggests taking measures against the individual who has repeatedly sent threats and disturbing content to this local media outlet in Inđija.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) strongly condemns the insults and disturbing threats of physical violence directed at Željko Matorčević, the editor of the Žig Info portal, sent via the Messenger application from the account of the assistant to the president of the Grocka municipality, Bojan Pitka Pitulić. In calling for the immediate sanctioning of the municipal officials behind these threats, ANEM emphasizes that this is the latest in a series of violent threats against journalists and editors of Žig Info. We remind that colleague Matorčević suffered serious bodily injuries in an attack in October 2018, and that his colleague Milan Jovanović had his house set on fire in December of the same year. Due to incitement to the arson of Jovanović’s house, former president of the Grocka municipality Dragoljub Simonović was sentenced to prison, but the attacker who assaulted and beat Matorčević has never been prosecuted.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) invites on citizens to redirect a portion of the one-time aid of 6,000 dinars, for which applications are currently open, to independent media and to turn the attempt to purchase electoral votes into an investment in freedom. It is especially important to support local and independent newsrooms that, despite pressures and financial difficulties, continue to operate in the public interest, particularly in smaller communities across Serbia. Therefore, ANEM is launching a Solidarity Fund for Independent Media, aimed at supporting the newsrooms that need assistance the most.

The journalist from the Istinomer portal received several messages on her private phone number in which she was insulted and threatened. The messages were sent from an anonymous number by an individual who claims to have specifically searched for and found the journalist's phone number in order to inform her that she is under her unauthorized surveillance and to intimidate and threaten her.

The lawyer of the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists and operator on ANEM's Safe Line, Veljko Milić, filed a criminal complaint against an individual who threatened writer and journalist Marko Vidojković via Instagram.