It is by no means naive to fall asleep as a journalist and wake up as a terrorist on the list of the Russian security service.

As the President of Serbia and the Russian intelligence service compete in labeling independent editorial offices as "terrorists" and "foreign mercenaries," independent media are becoming targets of threats and witch hunts simply because they are doing what the authorities stubbornly avoid – searching for the truth.

The hunt for journalists, orchestrated from Sremska Mitrovica to Moscow, has only one goal – to silence those who persistently ask who killed 16 people in Novi Sad.

"Their colored revolution has failed, let them know, let them know in USAID, NED, and EED, inform them everywhere. It’s over. Serbia has won," yelled Aleksandar Vučić on February 15 at a small support gathering in Sremska Mitrovica.

Seven months later, on September 15, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a statement with a list of certain national and local media that "brainwash the youth in Serbia" and plan a "Serbian Maidan" on November 1.

On that list was also Inđija. The Russian intelligence officers failed to determine which specific media outlet they referred to, so they pointed fingers at all 14 registered media in this Srem town. However, they know it is an independent media outlet, which means 13 can be excluded, leaving IN media.

Our editorial office firmly denies the statement from the Russian intelligence service – our work is based on public interest and on objective, impartial, and timely informing of citizens.

Aleksandar Vučić thanked the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service for the "information" regarding the alleged preparation for a violent takeover of power on the anniversary of the tragedy at the train station in Novi Sad, and announced that Serbia's security services would "further contact" the SVR regarding those claims.

Aleksandar Vulin also commented, urging the Serbian government to halt the path toward EU integration. Vulin's statement, in the style of "the dog doesn't bark for the village but for itself," was enriched with a reminder:

"Serbs, do you still not understand why the EU has put so much effort into removing Aleksandar Vulin? Serbs, what is not clear to you?"

Informer has, as usual, jumped on the Russian (semi)intelligence services.

It sounds bizarre – but is it?

It is by no means naive to fall asleep as a journalist and wake up as a terrorist, on a list of Russian services.

The statement from the Russian intelligence officers has triggered a series of threats to our portal, jeopardized our safety, and posed an equally great danger to journalists on the list – as if we had been having tea with Russian officials. In short – lethal.

It is no secret, nor can it be, that IN media is funded through projects, as stated on our portal.

Journalists on the Russian List: Scandalous Statement

A similar commentary on the same statement from the Russian SVR was provided by Sanja Petrov, editor of the Slobodna reč portal from Vranje, reminding that their editorial office was also named as part of the alleged plan for a "Serbian Maidan" and that they, along with several other independent media, were accused of "brainwashing the youth."

She noted that this statement merely recycles an old narrative that labels every civic uprising as a "Maidan" and foreign interference.

"We deny the claims in this scandalous statement and once again emphasize that we are a completely independent media outlet," their response states.

Sanja Petrov refers to Informer as EVIL, a fact that would also be endorsed by the editorial office from Inđija.

Vladimíra Dorčová-Valtnerová, responsible editor of the bilingual portal Storyteller from Bački Petrovac, which also appeared on the list of the Russian intelligence service, assesses that the statement is absurd but also dangerous:

"When a small professional media outlet, especially a bilingual one like Storyteller, finds itself in a statement from the Russian intelligence service, it seems absurd, but it is by no means harmless. Such labels and constructions have a clear goal – to portray journalists and editorial offices that work in the public interest as foreign agents and enemies of their own society.

For us, this is a clear indication that we are doing the right thing: we are opening space for the stories of people and communities that are otherwise marginalized, providing context, and offering a different perspective. If our media is targeted in this way, it is clear that the pressure is directed at all who try to work professionally and freely.

We are not afraid and we will not stop. But it is important for the public to understand that such attacks are not just words on paper – they create a climate of fear and an attempt at isolation, where journalists become easy targets. And that is dangerous for both the media and society as a whole."

Another bilingual portal has also come under fire from the aforementioned statement – the FAR portal from Caribroda (Dimitrovgrad), which produces media content dedicated to the Bulgarian national minority in Serbia.

Petar Videnov, editor of the FAR portal, emphasizes that due to rigged media competitions in Serbia, where citizens' money goes to pro-regime media, their survival is financed from other sources, including EU donors, but without changing their editorial policy and while maintaining professional, objective journalism.

Source: Cenzolovka