It is fundamentally important for journalists to carry out their work without any threat of violence and intimidation.

Here is the translated text:

Jirži Pleciti, head of the General Directorate of the European Commission for Enlargement and the Eastern Neighborhood, responded, as stated in the letter, on behalf of EC President Ursula von der Leyen, to the letter sent by United Media (UM) on March 12, which highlights that the disinformation and hate speech propagated by the authorities have led to an increased campaign of threats as well as physical attacks on UM journalists. Additionally, as noted in UM's letter, despite clear video evidence, no perpetrators of verbal and physical attacks on journalists have been held accountable, and state officials and pro-government media continue to target and endanger our journalists, portraying them as enemies of the state.

The response from the European Commission states that they have carefully read the letter.

"I want to assure you that the European Commission is closely monitoring the situation in Serbia. Media freedom is one of the fundamental pillars of a democratic society and represents a fundamental right in the EU. Therefore, it is also a key element of Serbia's accession process to the European Union. The European Commission expects Serbia to create a conducive environment where media freedom and freedom of expression can be realized without interference. In this regard, it is of utmost importance that journalists can perform their work without any threat of violence, harassment, or intimidation, so that citizens have access to all information, including information related to current political events in Serbia," the response states.

As they add, as Commissioner (Marta) Kos emphasized in her public statements, Serbia's European path offers solutions to many issues that are at the core of the demands of today's demonstrators in Serbia.

"The reforms we want to see during the accession process, if implemented correctly, will strengthen the fight against corruption, ensure judicial independence, institutional accountability, and transparent public procurement, improve media freedom and pluralism, as well as enhance electoral conditions. They should also provide a conducive environment for civil society and contribute to resilience against disinformation and information manipulation. The Commission will continue to closely monitor these issues within the framework of the EU accession negotiations with Serbia," they emphasized in their response.

They will also, as they add, continue to communicate with the authorities, representatives of the opposition, and civil society, "encouraging them to jointly find a way forward for Serbia to implement the reforms necessary for the country's European future."

Source: N1