Taking control of the media in Serbia during the electoral period represents a red flag.

Earlier this year, weexpressed our concern that the sale of the Adria News Network (ANN) to Alpac Capital could pose a direct and immediate threat to media freedom in Serbia and the Western Balkans.

We warned that this sale could bring some of the last editorially independent media in Serbia, including N1, Nova S, Radar, and Danas, under the control of a company whose previous operations in the media sector have been accompanied by allegations of censorship, political interference, and the erosion of professional editorial standards. 

When the sale was announced, Alpac Capital publicly stated that the transaction is "subject to standard regulatory approvals" as stipulated by law. Any change in control over ANN requires the consent of the Luxembourg Ministry responsible for media, as well as approval from the competition protection bodies in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. None of these consents have been publicly issued to date.

Just a few days before the publication of this letter, the CEO of Alpac Capital registered as a media director within ANN. Previous directors were dismissed. Alpac Capital has effectively taken control of the independent editorial offices for which it has not yetreceived the necessary approvals.

Alpac Capital's operations in Serbia have long been criticized and raised concerns among organizations dedicated to media freedom. In 2022, Alpac Capital acquired a majority stake in Euronews, part of which was financed by Hungarian state capital and funds from companies closely linked to the political networks of Viktor Orbán.

The political connections of Alpac Capital areno secret. President Vučić publicly referred to the father of the CEO of Alpac Capital as an old friend. The CEO of Alpac's business partner, Telekom Srbija, was previously recorded discussing strategies to undermine N1. The European Parliament then warned that "it seems that the Serbian Government has negotiated with the owners of United Media to 'weaken' the independent media operating within that company."

In an open letter to the CEO of Alpac Capital, the Minister of Information and Telecommunications of the Government of the Republic of Serbia supported Alpac's takeover of ANN and urged it to subject N1 and Nova S to stronger oversight and influence from the Serbian government. He also approvingly summarized what Alpac's takeover means for the last remaining independent editorial offices in Serbia—their "clinical death."

Unions representing the journalists of Nova, Radar, and N1 condemned the takeover. In a statement, they noted that "they suspect that things will not stop here and that editor dismissals will follow, with the intention of aligning the remaining independent and professional media with the wishes of the current regime."

The context and timing of all this, considering the state of media freedom in Serbia, are particularly concerning, and we express our apprehension regarding the consequences this takeover may have on the citizens' right to be informed about issues and topics that do not favor those in power, especially in this crucial pre-election period.

Therefore, we call on:

• The Minister of Luxembourg responsible for media and ALIA (The Regulatory Authority for Media in Luxembourg) to immediately initiate an investigation into whether control over ANN has been transferred without their consent, as required by law, and to conduct the most rigorous assessment of whether Alpac Capital meets the conditions to be an owner.
• The relevant competition protection bodies in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro to investigate whether any obligations of suspension, specifically the prohibition on implementing concentration before obtaining the necessary approvals, have been violated, and to utilize their powers to respond if the takeover is contentious.
• The European Board for Media Services and the European Commission to utilize their powers under the European Media Freedom Act to assess this concentration, considering that it involves a company from Luxembourg that manages editorial offices in EU member states, and to clearly indicate that the takeover of the last independent media in Serbia will have repercussions on Serbia's EU accession process.
• BC Partners and United Group to publicly explain why they approved the transfer of control over ANN and to clarify how such a transfer complies with the terms of the sales agreement, despite the fact that regulatory barriers have not yet been removed.
• Members of the Editorial Board of ANN to publicly explain whether they were consulted before control was effectively handed over to Alpac Capital and what steps they will take to protect the editorial independence of ANN.
• Alpac Capital and its CEO to accept the request of the relevant unions for a meeting and to explain their actions as well as their plans to preserve editorial independence in these media.

Initiative for Youth Human Rights

Rainbow Ignite

Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCBP)

Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV)

Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation 

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) 

Association of Online Media (AOM)

Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS)

Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and the Environment (ReRi)

Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights (YUCOM)

Autonomous Women's Center 

FemPlatz

Social Research Bureau (BIRODI)  

KROKODIL

CRTA 

European Movement in Serbia

Atina NGO