SRG: We will provide legal assistance and protection to journalists who were assaulted on March 29.

First and foremost, there is a significant concern regarding the numerous attacks on media workers, resulting in several journalists being seriously injured. It has been announced that monitoring the work of the prosecution and the police in prosecuting these cases will be a priority for the journalistic segment of the SRG, and that legal assistance will be provided to all who need it. Measures for the protection of injured journalists have also been considered to prevent the recurrence of such attacks.

In addition to physical attacks, there have been recorded instances of damage to and theft of journalistic equipment, as well as verbal abuse and obstruction of work. It has been estimated that the value of the equipment that was damaged or destroyed during the local elections is substantial, and it was highlighted that efforts are already underway to collect aid for the procurement of new equipment.

Members of journalistic and media associations have assessed that, despite the aforementioned attacks, their presence in 10 electoral cities and municipalities provided significant support to the journalists reporting that day, and that monitoring the safety of journalists during the electoral process should become a regular activity.

In this regard, it has been agreed to create an SRG Protocol for monitoring the safety of journalists during elections and to organize training sessions to broaden the base of potential SRG representatives who would participate in future elections and other crisis situations.

Representatives of the journalistic segment of the SRG particularly praised communication with certain prosecutors who serve as contact points in Bor and Užice. The journalistic segment of the SRG recognizes proactive measures in the form of meetings organized in March in Bor, Aranđelovac, Kula, and Bajina Bašta, which were attended by over 70 local prosecutors and journalists as a key reason for this effective communication.

Given the number and intensity of attacks on journalists during these local elections, members of the journalistic segment of the SRG discussed how to strengthen existing support and protection mechanisms in the upcoming period, especially in anticipation of the elections at the national level, where it is expected that the safety of media professionals will be even more threatened. The journalistic segment of the SRG will strive to ensure that journalists are provided with adequate protective equipment, workspaces, and all other conditions necessary for safe reporting in the future.

As a reminder, on the day of the local elections in 10 local self-governments on March 29, representatives of the journalistic segment of the SRG were on duty in almost all locations to provide direct support and assistance to journalists and media in case of threats to their safety or obstruction in their work. On that day, media representatives also had access to phone numbers to report threats, pressure, attacks, and obstructions during their reporting.

The SRG, which was established in January 2017, consists of 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 Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS), the Independent Journalists' Association of Vojvodina (NDNV), the Media Association (AM), the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), the Association of Online Media (AOM), along with the OSCE Mission in Serbia in an observer status.