The Journalists' section of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists condemns the statement made by President Aleksandar Vučić that targets Veran Matić.

The journalistic sector of the SRG is particularly concerned about the increasing number of campaigns from the highest political positions aimed at undermining the work of those fighting for a safer media environment, significantly raising the danger of threats and violence against journalists in general.

President Vučić stated on July 20 during a television program that those who have been "convicted because of Veran Matić" should have this removed from their records, and that Matić should "bring them whiskey or a bottle of wine" and apologize.

The journalistic sector of the SRG interprets such a statement from the president as intimidation and an attempt to influence Veran Matić's work, as well as that of the SRG itself, which advocates for the protection of journalists and the enhancement of media freedom as part of its mandate.

The statement from the president of the republic seriously jeopardizes Veran Matić's safety, as it comes from the highest state office and carries particular weight in the public sphere. Such rhetoric can be understood as incitement to violence and contributes to creating a hostile environment for journalists, who are already working under difficult conditions. It is especially concerning when such messages come from positions of power, as they not only delegitimize journalistic work but also potentially encourage attacks on media workers.

Although it remains unclear whom the president was specifically referring to when mentioning those who have been "convicted because of Veran Matić," the journalistic sector of the SRG reminds that only courts can impose sanctions, and that convictions, or the issuance of verdicts, is certainly not within the jurisdiction of any individual, except of course for the judges themselves.

Furthermore, Veran Matić is also the president of the Commission for the Investigation of Unsolved Murders of Journalists, which was established in 2012 by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, when today's president held the position of prime minister. This Commission, led by Matić, has gathered facts and evidence that were sufficient grounds for filing charges and initiating criminal proceedings for the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, which unfortunately ended with the acquittal of the accused despite a first-instance verdict sentencing them to a total of 100 years in prison.

Journalistic and media associations that are members of the SRG demand that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia assess Veran Matić's safety and determine whether there is currently any threat to his life and physical integrity. We also remind that Matić lived under full police protection for six years.

Finally, given that the OSCE Mission in Serbia participates as an observer in the work of the SRG, we remind of the Decision on the Safety of Journalists adopted by this organization in 2018, which calls on political leaders and public officials of member states, including Serbia, to refrain from intimidation, threats, or tolerating violence against journalists, and to unequivocally condemn it.

The SRG, established in January 2017, includes representatives from the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia, as well as six journalistic and media associations - the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS), the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), the Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Media Association (AM), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), the Association of Online Media (AOM), and the OSCE Mission in Serbia in observer status.