PRESS STATEMENT - Veran Matić: What I Told the Ambassadors

After the broadcast of the pogromist quasi-documentary film "Evil Era 2," in which I am the main character blamed for all the evils that have befallen the Serbian people—a foreign agent, a spy, a traitor, a thief... in short, evil, with which we all know how to deal—Andreas von Bekerat, the head of the European Union delegation in Serbia, called me on the phone. He asked how I was feeling and what I thought about the latest synchronized attack by the television stations Prva, B92, Informer, and Dokumentarna, which aired the aforementioned work, and how he could help. This was the ambassador's second call; he previously contacted me after I was targeted by President Vučić on TV Pink.

I requested the EU ambassador to organize a meeting inviting the ambassadors of the member countries and other colleagues interested in meeting with representatives of journalistic and media associations and organizations. This request resulted in a meeting held at the European Union Delegation on February 12, where representatives from NUNS, UNS, ANEM, the Media Association, Lokal Press, and the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation met with over twenty ambassadors and deputy ambassadors.

They listened to us for a full two hours. The general impression was that they were shocked by what is happening to journalists and the media in Serbia and the extent to which the situation in this field is rapidly deteriorating—from day to day, hour to hour. In my presentation, I praised the excellent annual report of the European Commission on Serbia's progress, which systematically outlined the horrors experienced by journalists and the media, with the comment that it is already somewhat outdated due to the increasing number of attacks and various new forms of repression.

I showed the attending diplomats a list of 45 journalists, analysts, professors, and lawyers marked for elimination, who, according to their own announcement, will have targets drawn on their foreheads by the Center for Social Stability in future video pamphlets filled with lies and slander. I reiterated that these journalists are already subjected to lynching, living and working amidst numerous threats and physical attacks that remain unresolved. We have an unprecedented rise in open cases in the prosecutor's offices and an unprecedented decline in resolved cases. In other words, we have almost complete impunity, with perpetrators aware that they will be pardoned by the president if, by any chance, they are punished.

I warned them that certain journalists, who daily expose incredible corruption and crime and are professionally engaged in investigative journalism, are literally risking their lives. And there is no one to protect them except for our mutual journalistic solidarity.

When asked whether we had approached the police for protection, I stated that the police first stopped responding to prosecutors' requests for information gathering, that they do not conduct effective investigations, that they have never protected attacked journalists even when present, and that they have started attacking journalists themselves. In such circumstances, we are forced into self-defense, to organize self-protection, and to mutual solidarity.

I told the attending diplomats that with the mentioned list of 45 new targets, they should visit government representatives and inform them that these awarded and professional journalists are under their protection.

I also mentioned that I know many journalists will protest for not being on this list from the Novi Sad government NGO, but that many female and male journalists are encountering such blasphemous attacks and media poisoning of the public for the first time through lies about them and their families.

When asked by the diplomats what the main criticisms of the content of the quasi-film about me were, I stated that I was accused of working for American interests, that I am a British spy, that I work for German interests because I received a medal from the German president, and that I created a spy network for Albania…

I also pointed out that one of the main motives for the attack on me is the fact that I defend the journalists and media who are regularly attacked, and that we, as defenders, are particularly under fire. I emphasized the importance of supporting the Safe Journalists program and the SOS hotline for reporting threats and supporting journalists, which is backed by the EU Delegation and the OSCE mission in Serbia.

I stated that the state has destroyed all bridges between the media community and civil society organizations and that we cannot change anything if the authorities do not wish to return to normal communication channels. The president has dismantled the constitutional order through illegal amnesties and by preventing the lawful election of members of the REM Council, which he himself admitted.

I pointed out that the media are exposed to hybrid attacks—alongside physical attacks, smear campaigns from the state’s top, SLAPP lawsuits, they are also subjected to bot attacks on social media profiles. At the same time, they lack access to state sources of support for content that promotes and protects the public interest through project co-financing. I warned them that young journalists and newsrooms representing a new generation of local media are particularly endangered.

I noted that the non-repayable funds provided by the European Commission and member states for improving the rule of law are evidently being misused by the state and that civil society organizations and professional media are doing more to advance the rule of law. Therefore, it would be crucial to redirect part of those funds as support for the survival of these organizations and media, which would better utilize them for the democratization of society and alignment with EU values.

I will stop my further recounting here as it was agreed to respect the "Chatham House" rule. In conclusion, I stated that we will not back down and that these attacks serve as an incentive for resistance and for even stronger professional journalism.

I also add my personal impression that I am proud and deeply touched by the massive support I have been receiving these days from former employees of the once Radio and TV B92, as well as other journalists, citizens, and civil society organizations.

In a message from a colleague, Antonio Gramsci was quoted: "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters." I attempted to speak about this at this extremely important meeting. I am sure that an increasing number of citizens in our country see and feel the time of monsters and that we are ready to assist in the birth of a new world.

Solidarity among journalists, media, and civil society organizations will prevail. There is no other possible outcome. This is what my personal professional experience over a career spanning more than 40 years teaches me.