I have become desensitized to threats; that is problematic

Saša Dragojlo, a well-known investigative journalist for BIRN, one of the most influential investigative media outlets in Serbia, was a guest at the "Earth Forum" in Vranje, where he delivered a lecture titled "Armed Diplomacy and Complicity: Serbia, Israel, and the Legacy of Yugoslavia" at the Faculty of Education. He has been involved in various types of journalism for a long time, including daily, analytical, and investigative journalism. He has been in investigative journalism for ten years, six and a half of which have been spent at BIRN, including the period when he was part of this editorial team as a young journalist.

For our portal, among other things, he discusses the attacks and pressures on investigative journalists, the daily dangers associated with this profession, the advantages of working in a large city, as well as digital and physical security.

Free Word: How serious are the pressures on investigative journalists?

Saša Dragojlo: The pressures are serious, but they vary from case to case. The job of an investigative journalist is inherently difficult and demanding, as you must explore sensitive topics in depth, which means going to places that are not entirely safe, meeting with sources who may be dangerous, or it can be dangerous for them, and consequently for you.

FW: How does the government in Serbia treat investigative journalists?

SD: What we see and have seen over the years is that the government in Serbia has sought to minimize the impact of investigative journalists, labeling them with various tags—traitors and foreign mercenaries. They do not attempt to physically harm or kill us; such cases are rare when it comes to investigative journalists from reputable outlets. They try to demonize us in the media, reduce the flow of funding, and diminish the audience that our investigations reach. Our investigations receive a second life when television stations like N1 and Nova broadcast them and create segments from them. If our segments were aired by national frequency television, this regime would have long been on its last legs. And Vučić wanted to stop that. Physical attacks are rarer because he wants to present himself to the Western international community as a democratic ruler. However, as time goes on, that mask is falling away more and more. I believe we are entering a more severe and violent phase, even for investigative journalists.

FW: Have you received threats or been in any danger so far? And how do you cope with that?

SD: To answer your question precisely, I would have to sit down and think, and remind myself. There have been various situations, but I wouldn't be able to speak publicly about some of them now. I have received various threats when talking to people I was writing about, in the sense that they threatened I would be arrested, that they are working with the BIA, and that this is a state matter. There have been situations in the field with security personnel, company directors, with hooligans... But unfortunately, I have become desensitized to that. It is quite problematic that I have become desensitized.

FW: You were attacked in March while reporting from a protest in Belgrade. What happened?

SD: The prosecutor's office has done nothing about it to this day. There are clear recordings showing that one of the activists of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) physically assaulted me, despite my introducing myself as a journalist, which indicates a direct intent. The police did not even identify him, did nothing, even though I requested that from them. This indicates—and we have seen it in recent weeks—that the police protect SNS activists and their thugs. That case has been reported to the prosecutor's office. Of course, with the help of the Standing Working Group for the Safety of Journalists and NUNS. Veran Matić has been very helpful in that process. However, the First Basic Prosecutor's Office and the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office continue to dispute who is competent. The man who attacked me, whose name and other details we have already published, has not been questioned at all. They are waiting for the case to drag on, avoiding responsibility, and simply forcing us to take care of our own safety.

FW: Are you afraid for your safety?

SD: I am afraid, like any person who is involved in a public job and reveals things that are against the government. But essentially, it is a healthy dose of fear. It is not a fear that will ever stop me from doing what I believe in and what I think is true and just.

FW: Do you pay more attention to physical security or online protection?

SD: Regarding physical security, I can be more cautious when moving around, but we take care to protect our communication with sources, the data we possess and share, phone calls, and so on. We focus on that because it is something we can influence. Unfortunately, we cannot influence whether someone will physically attack us. We cannot rely on the police either.

FW: Is it an advantage or a disadvantage to be an investigative journalist in a large city like Belgrade? How different would your job be, and would it be the same if you were doing it in Vranje or Loznica?

SD: It is absolutely an advantage to be engaged in this work in Belgrade. If I were doing this in Vranje, I would probably have been beaten five or six times by now. A large city, along with the dangers it brings, also provides a certain kind of protection. That’s why I believe local journalists are the greatest treasure that should be nurtured, because without them, nothing would be known in Belgrade. I think local journalists are perhaps the most endangered type, even more so than investigative journalists. The public should pay a little more attention to them.

FW: How do your younger and less experienced colleagues cope with pressures? Do they discourage them?

SD: I am among the youngest in the newsroom, but essentially, this job is such that you either are or you are not suited for it. Those who are not suited for this job will leave after a few years. This job is a calling, as cliché as that may sound. Despite the government’s propaganda, there isn't much money here. People would be shocked at what investigative journalists are paid. In that sense, you do this because you believe in it. Fear is natural, and everyone decides what they will pursue.

FW: How do the lives of investigative journalists in Serbia differ from those abroad?

SD: I think the situation is difficult for investigative journalists everywhere, although it may be a bit easier in some countries. In some wealthier Western countries, it seems to me that investigative journalists who have managed to secure their position in the profession focus on topics that are less dangerous, in a direct sense, and can work on them more freely. While in countries like Serbia, we deal with topics that have been ongoing for a long time, and simultaneously we must track these daily traces. Time has accelerated so much, especially since the student protests that evolved into civic protests began. There is much more work for us, leading us to self-exploitation. We tell ourselves – it’s important, we can do more, this will pass, and then we’ll rest. But that time never comes, so I urge my colleagues to be mindful of "burnout," of work-related exhaustion, and to look after themselves, because this game is a marathon.