Purge at "Juronjuz": Layoffs are pouring in after the "systematization," with Milan Šarić among those dismissed.

As "Vreme" learns, following the implementation of the systematization at the television station "Juronjuz," 12 layoffs were announced on Wednesday. Among those laid off are seven journalists, while the others are employees from the production sector – cameramen, an organizer, and a makeup artist. Among the dismissed journalists is Milan Šarić, one of the most recognizable faces of this media house.

Only one person among those laid off did not sign the statement from a section of the employees distancing themselves from the editorial policy of this television station, leading to a general consensus among the workers at "Juronjuz" that this is a form of "retribution" against the "rebels."

“It is important to note that all journalists and cameramen who were laid off are signatories of the petition distancing employees from the management,” a source who is well-informed about the events within this editorial team tells "Vreme."

The source explains how the layoffs came about, noting that the entire process lasted about ten days.

Questionable Evaluation of Employees Prior to Layoffs

“Ten days ago, a bulletin board was set up in the editorial office, which we did not have until then. This was done on Sunday evening, and on Monday morning, two documents were posted – one is the Decision on Systematization, along with the systematization itself and the new job positions that were established. In this way, they abolished almost all job positions at the television station and created new ones. The Decision on Systematization stated that a two-day evaluation of employees would be conducted based on the previous six months of work, as if this evaluation would determine who would be declared redundant,” says the source for "Vreme."

The source adds that the criteria indicated were established "ad hoc," as it was unclear how the person conducting the evaluations determined the expertise, competence, and work ethic of the employees.

Although the Decision stipulates that the head of the sector may consult with others before deciding who will be laid off, the source claims that the editor-in-chief, Dragana Pejović, did not do this.

The source emphasizes that the journalists who were laid off not only signed the petition against the management but also directly confronted the management of "Juronjuz" regarding the new editorial policy.

“We have no doubt that this is yet another form of retaliation due to that statement and the 'purge' announced by the management,” concludes the source for "Vreme."

Regional Director of "Juronjuz," Minja Miletić, did not respond to our request for a comment regarding the layoffs at this television station.

The Case of Marija Šehić

Journalist Marija Šehić received her termination from this television station at the beginning of June following a conflict with the management.

She had been employed at Juronjuz for just over two years. Together with Jelena Stojiljković, she worked on the program "Let’s Talk," was a producer of news programs, and occasionally served as a host. Since September of last year, she had been hosting the Morning Program.

This continued until recently when she was "removed" from the studio shifts and transferred to the control room.

Then came the termination.

How It All Started

The termination was preceded by an incident in April when 78 journalists and media workers publicly distanced themselves from an unsigned statement sent on behalf of the "Juronjuz" editorial team regarding the student blockade of RTS, which occurred for the first time in the history of Serbian journalism.

The letter, on behalf of "Juronjuz," called for the relevant authorities to react to the students and citizens blocking Radio-Television Serbia. It used language about forcing "into camps" and stated that a "street, raw, and brutal revolutionary justice" was being inflicted on colleagues from RTS, which "must provoke not only fear but also disgust."

The employees distanced themselves from such a statement, and reactions from journalistic associations followed.

The Journalists' Association of Serbia stated after the protests by the employees at "Juronjuz" that they were "exposed to professional degradation and various pressures." The Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation stated that this termination "represents retaliation for opposing the trampling of professional standards, pressures, and harassment of journalists at this media house since Minja Miletić, the regional director, and Dragana Pejović, the editor-in-chief, took over its leadership."

Source: Vreme