One year later: journalists warn of a dramatic decline in media freedom in Serbia.
At the webinar "One Year Later: Media Freedom and the Safety of Journalists in Serbia," organized today by Media Freedom Rapid Response, journalists and media experts assessed that following the collapse of the canopy at the railway station in Novi Sad on November 1, 2024, and the wave of protests, there was a sharp response from the authorities—accompanied by an increase in violence against reporters, political pressures, and control of information.
The webinar provided an overview of the situation on the ground through testimonies from journalists in national and local newsrooms. Speakers pointed out that security risks and institutional pressures intertwine with the economic uncertainty of the media, especially for independent and local outlets.
“The events of November 1st last year changed the face of Serbia,” said freelance journalist Nataša Kovačev from Novi Sad, recalling that students blocked faculties demanding that institutions begin to operate in the public interest. “Currently, we do not have independent institutions in Serbia; everything depends on the will of one man and the decisions of the ruling party.” She noted that reporting has become more uncertain: gatherings that start peacefully “can end in police brutality against students, citizens, and journalists.” A commemorative gathering in Novi Sad this Saturday ended an hour early “due to assessed security risks.”
Kovačev also described “crisis” working conditions, citing the example of protests on September 5th in front of the Faculty of Philosophy in Novi Sad: “I have never seen so much tear gas. Two journalists were attacked even though they had accreditations and vests marked ‘press’.” She added that independent newsrooms often do not receive invitations to events and face insults, labeling, and ejection from institutions while on the ground.
International editor at N1, Dušan Mlađenović, also assessed that the pressure is systemic, pointing to deep media polarization: “Independent media cover protests daily and fairly, while pro-government outlets—making up about 95% of the scene—adopt the narrative of the authorities, labeling demonstrators as ‘terrorists’ and organizers of a ‘colored revolution’.” He recalled findings from European institutions about unequal representation of political actors in the media and discrediting campaigns aimed at N1 and Nova: “We have been branded as terrorists, foreign agents, and mercenaries—by the highest state officials.”
Mlađenović also spoke about ownership and political pressures that create existential uncertainty in newsrooms: “We come to work not knowing if we will even come tomorrow.” He indicated that the pressures are “political and financial,” and field teams are “physically and emotionally exhausted.”
The vulnerability of local media was testified to by Verica Marinčić, editor of the In Medija portal from Inđija. “There are just two of us in the newsroom, and from the beginning, we have had problems with the local authorities. They do not invite us to events; instead, we receive criticism, threats, and occasionally attacks,” she said. She added that the pressures intensified when the name of the newsroom appeared on lists in the context of the alleged “Serbian Maidan” on November 1st: “We have been targeted in public as ‘terrorists’.” According to her, there are 16 media outlets in Inđija, “but no one is on our side; pro-government outlets receive funding from public budgets.” The police are “polite, but nothing more than that,” and discussions with donors and EU representatives “remain at the level of words.”
Speakers assessed that the Standing Working Group for Journalist Safety exists but lacks visible results. Communication between representatives of journalists, the prosecution, the judiciary, and the police is hindered, and impunity for attacks remains the norm: “A small number of cases reach the courts, and even fewer conclude in favor of journalists,” it was stated during the webinar—which, they say, discourages victims from reporting attacks at all.
In the international context, participants recalled the latest report from the European Commission, which evaluates the political and economic influence on the media—including the editorial policy of RTS—as a “serious concern.” Recommendations relate to the consistent application of new media laws “in letter and spirit,” strengthening the independence of the media regulator, aligning with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), halting verbal attacks by high officials on journalists, and swiftly prosecuting threats and violence. The document, according to participants, also details the case of N1.
In conclusion, the webinar participants emphasized that alongside geopolitical issues, it is equally important to consider the “micro level”—the daily life and work of journalists in Serbia. “We must endure and continue to work,” was the message from the gathering, along with a call to institutions to ensure conditions for safe and independent media work.
Source: NUNS
