ANEM alarm: Threat to the journalist of the FAR portal from Dimitrovgrad - "something could happen to you."

The call followed the publication of Ivanov's text on his Facebook profile regarding the possibility of opening a lignite mine in the vicinity of Dimitrovgrad. Behind this initiative is the company Vuković Benz. In his research, Ivanov pointed out a series of alleged illegal activities, abuses, and arrests related to the owner of the company.

In the text, Ivanov states: “In a country with only two mining inspectors, to entrust the management of a public resource (such as the lignite deposit near Mazgoš) to a person with such 'credentials' and expect them to consider the interests of the local community and nature, as well as to adhere to the mining project and environmental protection measures, is an irresponsible act that could have far-reaching consequences for the local community.”

The threat was issued just before the public discussion on the Draft Detailed Regulation Plan for the “Mazgoš” deposit, scheduled for Monday, October 13.

It is undeniable that the topic Ivanov writes about is of exceptional public significance, and the data he presents is extremely concerning.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) reported the threat to contact points at the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Pirot.

“In addition to the fact that this is a matter of great public importance, it is important to highlight that the editorial staff of the FAR portal and its journalists have been exposed to threats and safety risks for a long time. At the beginning of last year, during questioning at the police station, journalist Slaviša Milanov had his mobile phone illegally unlocked, and all data was extracted using sophisticated equipment, along with the installation of spyware. Although a criminal complaint was filed in March 2024, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has yet to investigate this case, despite requests from the High-Tech Crime Prosecutor's Office and findings from the international expertise of Amnesty International confirming illegal activities. The police have not responded to repeated urgencies from the prosecutor's office,” emphasizes Veran Matić, a member of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists and President of the Management Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), who reported the case to the competent prosecutor's office in Pirot and the Ministry of Internal Affairs as the operator of the SOS line (0800 100 115).

ANEM calls on the competent authorities to urgently prosecute the latest threat against the FAR journalist to ensure that the perpetrator is punished and to prevent any possible realization of the threat.

Furthermore, we urge the Ministry of Internal Affairs to respond to the prosecutor's request for data collection regarding the case of spyware installation, submitted over a year and a half ago.

“We also call on the prosecutor's office to take legal action due to the obvious obstruction by the police in responding to the requests of the prosecutor's office,” states Matić.

The Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union and the Balkan Democracy Fund.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia has supported ANEM's project "24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers," as part of the EU-funded project "Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia."