The safety of journalists in Serbia – how does the current situation affect future media professionals?

Those who are oppressed by the ruling regime have decided to use the media to insult and distort words that carry numerous disinformation, lies, and deceit about the situation in the country. In their efforts to "straighten the crooked Drina," journalists with a clean reputation, fighting for justice and the need for objectivity, have stood up to bring to light every spoken untruth.

This has brought significant pressure.

The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) recently announced that it has recorded 123 incidents against journalists since the beginning of the year – among them, 15 physical assaults, 71 pressures, and 34 verbal threats.

The latest case of an attack on journalists occurred during a rally of the ruling party in Niš on May 17, where Australian SBS Radio correspondent Nikola Doderović was detained, while journalist Tamara Radovanović from Južne vesti was prevented by the police from reporting on the event.

Radovanović was primarily the one attacked, and the police did not side with her. Instead of removing the assailant, they removed her.

Regarding this attack, Perica Gunjić, the editor of the portal Cenzolovka, assessed that attacks in recent months have never been more intense, and that instead of protecting journalists and detaining the assailant, the police removed journalist Radovanović, "explaining to her along the way that she provokes the attackers by doing her job."

Gunjić stated that during the SNS rally in Belgrade, they counted at least ten attacks on journalists, reminding that a journalist from Istinomer was attacked while reporting in the "Ćacilend" camp in front of the Serbian Parliament, where a police officer told her they could not help her because those present in Ćacilend treated them the same way.

"That camp was obviously created to intimidate all those who criticize the government, including journalists, students, and citizens. This is evident from the scandalous threats and lawsuits against independent media sent by Students Who Want to Learn,” Gunjić commented.

The editor of Cenzolovka assessed that professional journalists work in increasingly worse conditions, that "their position in society has been degraded, and campaigns against them are being conducted in all pro-regime media and on social networks."

Gunjić: But look at that, they do not give up! On the contrary.

Perica Gunjić states that the motivation of young journalists is not declining and that never before have so many young people applied for the School of Digital Journalism organized by the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation, as well as for student internships.

"Our school has existed for ten years, so from my experience with them, I know that the new generations of journalists are the most ethically and professionally aware. They are extremely motivated, even though they are aware of how much real journalists are attacked and the difficult conditions under which they work," he said.

He also reminds that the future of journalism is at risk, "especially if those who want to introduce propaganda instead of information win, who celebrate shameless lies and conduct unscrupulous campaigns instead of responsibly reporting on important issues for every citizen of this country."

Gunjić says that in the new generations of young journalists, we have serious fighters for the survival of responsible journalism, pointing out that it will not be easy for those who want to eradicate this profession.

He states that it is impossible for journalists' motivation to be extinguished by pressures and attacks, as there will always be at least a small media outlet, at least in the online space, that the government cannot stop.

"Just look at the investigative centers; they break stories and work on brilliant, incredibly important stories for all of us. Who will stop them?" he concluded.

How interested are people in journalism?

Iva Galicki, a journalism student at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, is one of those who has been active since the beginning of the blockades that followed the collapse of the awning in that city. Alongside protests, she decided, along with her colleagues, to take control and report to the public about important events.

"My fellow students and I formed the editorial office Blokada info to shed light on the media darkness we have been in for years. We knew what we were getting into and how dangerous it was to broadcast everything the government hides or denies, but that was extra motivation for us. It is wrong to be afraid to do such an important and honorable job," Galicki said.

When asked if she fears for her safety due to numerous attacks on media workers, and whether this demotivates her and diverts her from her future profession, Galicki says that the current situation gives her greater motivation, emphasizing that a journalist should be free to do their job without disruption – just as it is applicable to all other professions.

"Every untruth, disinformation, and spin that regime media and tabloids promote motivates me. Every unpleasant conversation I've had with people whose only source of information is a tabloid motivates me," concludes student Galicki.

Regarding how prevalent the interest in the journalism profession is, Professor Smiljana Milinkov from the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad spoke for Mingl, who has also personally experienced police brutality during the numerous blockades in that city.

"Interest in enrolling in journalism studies has not drastically decreased; we always have more candidates applying than available places. I believe that the decision to enroll in media studies is primarily influenced by those journalists who consistently uphold the integrity of the profession, among whom a significant portion are now our former students," Milinkov assessed.

Although she has been passing on knowledge to her students for years and pointing out important aspects of journalism, as well as the experience they should gain in their professional work, she emphasized that in every generation, there are standout students in whose eyes the desire to contribute to the quality development of society is evident. "When there is awareness of the importance of journalism, then all these obstacles are not inhibiting, but rather awaken the need to work towards a safer environment where journalists will not suffer repression simply for responsibly doing their job."

Milinkov confirmed that the journalism profession has been undermined and that this has been going on for years, and she believes that safety and respect for this profession would lead to greater interest among young people to try their hand at this job.

"This is a profession in which the status of employees is very problematic, poorly paid, insecure, subject to various types of pressures, and it is essential that the position of media workers is fundamentally changed. Various social groups and institutions must participate in these changes, primarily the relevant ministry, i.e., the state, because all that journalistic associations, unions, and other civil organizations work on has no effect if there is no goodwill from the government to change the situation," she says.

Young journalist, author of the podcasts Diary of a Youth and Voice of the Local, Milica Mihajlović stated that fear did exist and still exists, especially since during her high school days, she had the opportunity to watch documentaries about Dada Vujasinović, Milan Pantić, and Slavko Ćuruvija, and thus saw the potential consequences for those who raise their voices for justice and truth. However, she believes that journalism is a way of life, not just a job.

In addition to the potential pressures that journalists face, there is also the financial pressure that sometimes leads journalists to abandon their profession for a more comfortable life. However, this did not deter Mihajlović from journalism.

"There have been moments when I had doubts due to the financial uncertainty of this job, and because of the difficult path that needs to be paved in order to earn the trust of colleagues and the public. However, I am resourceful and do not easily give up when I love something, and I have become one with journalism, so doubts have not led me in the wrong direction," she assessed.

Although young, she also encountered unpleasantness in Ćacilend, where everyone refused to give her a statement or talk to her.

The pressures did not begin after the fall of the awning; they have existed for much longer, as evidenced by many murdered journalists in the past, as well as investigative journalists who receive numerous lawsuits for the stories they write uncovering crime, corruption, and issues in the state that go unpunished.

However, another witness that just journalism will not easily disappear is Andrea Stojanović, a student at the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad, who has recently started working as a journalist and says she does not see herself in any other field of work.

"I believe that challenging times are precisely those in which we see the most how meaningful and powerful journalism can be. I do not plan to give up – I want to be part of the change, part of the generation that will fight for journalists to be able to do their job freely, without fear, but with a lot of responsibility towards the public," Stojanović assesses.

She emphasizes that the attacks and lawsuits used as a means of pressure must be sanctioned, and that journalists should not be silenced by this.

"I always keep in mind the thought of Danilo Kiš: The task of an intellectual is not to lie. In that, I see the task of a journalist – to remain true to the truth, even when it is unpleasant, unpopular, or risky. That task does not scare me – it motivates me," concludes Stojanović.

Source: Mingl