"The media freedom crisis in Serbia is unique in Europe": Organizations wrote to Ursula von der Leyen.

Since October of last year, as stated in the announcement, these organizations have recorded exceptional pressures on media freedoms in the region.

“The sudden closure of Al Jazeera Balkans, increased political pressures on N1 and Nova S channels, and the launch of the television channel RT Balkan under the propaganda influence of the Kremlin represent existential threats to independent and reliable journalism across the region,” the organizations' statement reads.

They add that the Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) has recorded 381 alerts concerning 617 journalists and media workers in six countries of the Western Balkans, with as many as 222 cases registered solely in Serbia.

“The current level of violence against journalists in Serbia is unique within the EU and among candidate countries. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) documented 34 physical attacks in less than two summer months on media professionals by political activists and police officers. To date, the number of cases of physical violence in 2025 stands at 76, according to RSF data—an unprecedented level according to the records of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) since 2008. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that as the government intensified its stance against protests, Serbian journalists increasingly report being deliberately targeted by the police, especially while covering police violence,” the organizations emphasize.

According to their claims, cases recorded in Serbia by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) platform confirm the seriousness of the situation, as from November 1, 2024, there have been recorded physical, verbal, and other attacks on 315 journalists, media outlets, and journalistic associations.

These attacks, they add, are fueled by frequent unfounded accusations against the media from, among others, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. Only in September 2025, the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation recorded 141 cases of verbal abuse directed at journalists and media by high-ranking state officials and members of the parliamentary majority.

Since the beginning of the anti-corruption protests, organizations have repeatedly pointed out these issues and are calling for the Commission to send a clear signal to Belgrade regarding the consequences of attacks on the media, support for Russian propaganda, and systemic failures in protecting journalists, which could impact the EU enlargement process and funding from EU funds.

They also remind that the MFRR mission in Belgrade in April 2025 specifically alerted to the crisis of media freedoms and issued urgent recommendations to the relevant authorities in Serbia and the European Commission.

“Since then, pressures on independent reporting and media freedoms have only worsened. In June, the process of electing new members of the REM Council was again carried out under unclear and discriminatory conditions, undermining EU reforms. In recent weeks, the media outlets United Group N1 and Nova TV have faced severe threats to their independence, raising concerns about direct political interference in reporting on protests. This pressure increasingly places journalists and media in financial difficulties, with some on the brink of bankruptcy,” the organizations state.

They note that the failure to effectively confront the authorities in Serbia sets a worrying precedent for other candidate countries, especially in the region.

“Both the media and their audiences on the ground must know that the EU enlargement process will significantly contribute to creating a safe environment for journalists and guarantee citizens the right to reliable information in the Western Balkans, with Serbia as the most pronounced example. Media freedom remains a key condition for building healthy democracies and promoting European values in the Western Balkans region,” the statement concludes.

The signing organizations therefore call on von der Leyen to clearly demand that the authorities, particularly the President of Serbia, protect media freedoms and the safety of journalists.

“The instruments available to the Commission, including the suspension of EU funds, should be applied to send a clear signal about the European Union's commitment to independent journalism and media freedoms in the region,” the statement concludes.

Signatories:

• Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
• European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
• European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
• Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
• Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
• ARTICLE 19 Europe
• Index on Censorship
• International Press Institute (IPI)
• Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Source: EFJ