Journalism Under Attack from Authorities: "We have not had a situation where journalists are called terrorists until now."

The Association of Journalists of Serbia recorded as many as 100 cases of threats against journalists in the first half of the year, marking the highest number of physical attacks on journalists in the last five years. The N1 newsroom receives threats and faces insults on a daily basis. The journalistic organization "Media Freedom Rapid Response" condemns the rhetoric of Serbian authorities directed at independent media, which turns them into targets. The SafeJournalists network has also strongly condemned the brutal threats directed at the N1 television newsroom, as well as the public accusation made by the President of Serbia. "Such rhetoric from the highest state officials represents a direct call to violence against journalists and an abuse of institutions and has serious consequences for their safety," the statement reads. What makes the president consider the professional reporting of N1 and Nova as "pure terrorism"? How can we save a profession that is under increasing pressure from the ruling party?

"We have never seen such a number of cases; we are coming to a situation where it is almost impossible for us to react, to document and report. And we have not had journalists and media houses labeled as terrorists, where such a dangerous term is so easily used, which does not introduce the problem of incitement to violence from those who would consider it an attack on the state, but directly involves certain institutions in the narrative, and we have the danger that the police may actually come for you and intimidate you," emphasized Đurić.

Maja Sever also assesses that the situation is escalating.

"Attacks on the media, especially from authorities like those in Serbia, are unfortunately becoming increasingly brutal. We have countries where laws on foreign agents are being announced or already introduced, which opens the space for threats that come from the mouths of your president and those who lead Serbia. There are so many threats and attacks that even NUNS and other associations find it difficult to monitor and respond," said Sever.

This, she says, is very dangerous and concerning.

"When I read what Vučić said, I immediately contacted colleagues from organizations that deal with media freedoms. Sometimes it's hard to believe that such things are happening; it's difficult to find a way to react. I said that statements are not enough; we need to find a way to protect the safety of those working in those media. These are open calls for violence, lynching, and seeking legal means to restrict the work of N1 and Nova," Sever stated.

She reminds that "everything that has happened in recent months leads to an increasing narrowing of the reach of N1 and Nova."

"The question is what the next step is; it’s not even a question. We know that Vučić and his government are ready for the next step," she added.

Sever also mentions that they have sought a response from European institutions.

"We wrote to the Council of Europe and will appeal to European institutions to stop pretending that they do not see what is happening. People are being beaten, people are being attacked! What follows after Vučić's statement, institutions that blindly follow him, not to mention pro-regime media, all of that, of course, spills over into society," she noted.

However, she says, it "kills the spirit" to feel that the EU is uninterested in the state of the media.

"We were there, representatives of major international organizations dealing with media freedom; we were in Serbia, spoke with numerous media representatives, as well as the authorities; we held a press conference and prepared a report that goes to European institutions. A few days after that, I just saw the news about how Serbia is receiving several million in support from European bodies. I think, 'OK, I know what follows' - 'she does not want Serbia's European path'... Of course, I do, but the European path means respecting certain values of that society," the interviewee told N1.

According to her, highlighting the situation and preventing the authorities from doing what they are doing is the European path.

"But if those European institutions do not have the mechanisms to compel states on the accession path to respect democratic principles, what is the point, what kind of society and community are we building if we are going to applaud something that Vučić said yesterday against journalists working at N1," she asked.

Sever emphasizes that she believes in European values.

"I believe in the importance of that EU community, and that is why from this position we are trying to do everything to convince European institutions to find a way to compel the authorities not only not to say such things but also to pay attention to what is happening on Juronjuz, for example," Sever stated.

She also says that the government "cannot be exempted from this." "Nor from what is happening with REM. After all the writings, something continues; I don’t know how to describe it without being rude," she added.

The authorities, she says, seem to care little about what the EU will say.

"The government laughs at the European Union, simply 'what can you do to us', that’s how it looks. And the EU either lacks the strength or political will to defend and strengthen media pluralism in Serbia, and we can talk about a wider context. It is obvious that it either does not know or lacks sufficient strength and perhaps even courage to stop what is happening in the media, with media freedom in Serbia. It escalated yesterday, but we must ask ourselves whether this is the peak or the end, and what else awaits us," says the president of the European Federation of Journalists.

**Source: [N1](https://n1info.rs/vesti/novinarstvo-na-meti-vlasti-nismo-imali-dosad-da-se-novinari-nazivaju-teroristima/)**