News

Member states of the European Union must demonstrate political leadership and join calls for the suspension of European funds to Serbia in order to prevent the spiral of violence against journalists from escalating into deadly attacks, ten media and press freedom organizations stated on Friday in a series of letters addressed to ministers for European affairs across Europe.

Pro-government media outlets such as Informer, Srpski Telegraf, Alo, Kurir, and Večernje Novosti, along with their associated portals, have received over 2.8 million euros for media projects from local governments, the Ministry of Information, and the Provincial Secretariat during a decade of project co-financing, according to research by Cenzolovka. More than half of this amount came from the budget of the City of Belgrade—approximately 1.5 million euros. With the funds that the City generously allocated to these tabloids, it could have provided 680,000 meals for users of the Soup Kitchen, purchased around thirty ambulances, acquired eight mammography machines, or built a small kindergarten.

In the 94 commissions established to evaluate media projects to date, only 43 different candidates have been selected, according to an analysis by the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS).

The regional information agency JUGpress is celebrating a significant anniversary today—twenty years of existence and operation.

The "Right Media Measure" platform of the Media Association, which for the first time consolidates publicly available data on the media being measured in Serbia for the years 2020 and 2024, was presented at the premises of the OSCE Mission in Serbia in Belgrade.

The Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation recorded 156 verbal attacks by state officials on journalists and media in April 2026, directed through social media, in media appearances, as well as during sessions of the National Assembly. During this month, new narratives were observed that contribute to creating a hostile atmosphere, disqualifying journalists and media, and spreading distrust towards investigative journalism.

At the World Congress of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), held in Paris from May 4 to 7 to mark the centenary of this organization, a resolution was adopted today, submitted by the Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), which warns of the escalation of attacks on journalists, the imprisonment of media, and the continued decline of media freedoms in Serbia. This year's congress gathers nearly 300 representatives of journalist unions and associations from around the world, taking place in a year when the IFJ celebrates 100 years of existence.

The jury has made a decision regarding this year's nominations for the "Dejan Anastasijević 2026" Award for Investigative Journalism, which is being awarded for the 21st consecutive year by the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia has published the annual report of the Standing Working Group on the Safety of Journalists for the year 2025, in honor of World Press Freedom Day. This year, the authors were Tatjana Vasiljević Veljković, Dragana Bjelica, and Miroslav Janković.