The potential sale of Adria News Network media threatens media freedoms.

As advocates for media freedom, we are deeply concerned about reports published earlier this week indicating that United Group is preparing to sell Adria News Network (ANN), including N1, Nova S, Radar, and Danas, as well as approximately a dozen other media outlets across the Western Balkans, to the European Future Media Investments fund managed by the Portuguese investment firm Alpac Capital.

If these reports prove to be accurate, we believe this transaction could represent one of the most significant threats with far-reaching consequences for media pluralism in Europe in recent history. This would place some of the last editorially independent television news broadcasters, daily newspapers, and online media platforms in Serbia under the control of a company whose existing media investments have been marked by allegations of censorship, political interference, and the undermining of editorial standards, all of which have been documented.

Alpac Capital's past operations must be thoroughly examined

In 2022, Alpac Capital acquired a majority stake in Euronews. Investigative reports from the Direkt36 portal and the Le Monde newspaper later revealed that this acquisition was partially financed by Hungarian state capital and companies close to the political networks of Viktor Orbán.

Under Alpac Capital's ownership, the license for Euronews Srbija was awarded to the state-owned company Telekom Srbija, the same company whose CEO was recorded discussing strategies to undermine N1 with the director of United Group. This conversation also included a personal request from President Vučić to remove one of the key guarantors of editorial independence from the company.

Under this arrangement, journalists are reportedly facing documented censorship, bans on questioning government representatives, and layoffs for defending professional and editorial standards. Alpac Capital has close ties to both President Vučić and Viktor Orbán.

ANN media is already under pressure

This comes after justified concerns regarding threats to the editorial independence of media within ANN. Following the release of a recording of a conversation between the director of Telekom Srbija and United Group, the European Parliament adopted a resolution stating that “it appears that the Government of Serbia negotiated with the owners of United Media to 'weaken' the independent media operating within its framework."

The dismissal of Igor Božić from the position of director of N1 television raised concerns among a significant portion of the public in Serbia. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stated that his removal “clearly contradicts [ANN's] alleged intentions to protect N1 from political interference.” Eight media associations and unions from Serbia assessed the dismissal as “a serious signal that the authorities, in coordination with the new ownership structures, have entered the final phase of establishing control over one of the last remaining pillars of independent information in Serbia.”

It is essential to protect editorial independence in Serbia

We have seen this pattern before. Under Alpac Capital's license, Euronews Srbija soon became a vehicle for state-controlled journalism. Therefore, we call on:

The Luxembourg media regulator to conduct the most rigorous possible assessment of Alpac Capital's suitability as the owner of independent media, fully considering the company's past experience with Euronews, the proven role of Hungarian state capital in previous acquisitions, and the personal connections of the company's management with political authorities in Serbia.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi, and the European Commission to make it clear that the transfer of the last independent media in the country to a buyer with proven ties to state-captured media will have consequences for Serbia's accession process to the European Union.

BC Partners and United Group to refrain from selling the independent media of ANN to any individual or organization with a poor record in the area of media freedom, and instead to protect the editorial independence that defines the media they currently oversee.

Organizations:

Association of Online Media

Association of Independent Electronic Media

Youth Initiative for Human Rights

Foundation B92

CRTA

Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and Environment

Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights (YUCOM)

Transparency Serbia

A11 Initiative

European Movement in Serbia

Krokodil Association