Stamenković: Both the prosecution and journalists' associations received only three reports of attacks on journalists during the election day.

"The Supreme Prosecutor's Office has contacted all the prosecutors' offices in the country, seeking information on any changes, and there are indeed no changes regarding reporting. We leave open the possibility that journalistic associations and organizations may have recorded some additional incidents, and we expect them to inform us about this, but for now, we have three recorded incidents," said Stamenković.

Speaking about the attacks on journalists that occurred in the vicinity of Vranje, Stamenković stated that journalists were first verbally attacked during the verification of allegations about vote buying, and then were pelted with stones, resulting in minor bodily injuries.

"The perpetrators of that criminal act have been identified; one individual has been remanded in custody for up to 30 days. As for the other individual, it seems there has been a case of mistaken identity, so the search for the actual suspect, that is, the potential perpetrator of the crime, is ongoing," said Stamenković.

According to him, the second incident occurred in Niš, where local television journalists were provoked and warned, while the third incident took place in Bežanijska Kosa in Belgrade, but the journalists did not report it, so no case has been formed for now.

"But, in summary, both as a prosecutor and personally, I am satisfied because we only had three known security threats, both physically and verbally, during the election day, and I see this as a significant contribution to what the standing working group has accomplished so far," evaluated Stamenković, expressing satisfaction with the work of the public prosecutors' offices that handled these cases.

Highlighting the trend of impunity for journalists, Stamenković mentioned that he could not observe that any public prosecutor's office, except for the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, in certain cases did not respond in the expected manner.

"For the most part, public prosecutors' offices absolutely act in accordance with the general mandatory instructions. The fact is that there is a problem, and this problem is particularly noticeable because the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office has been exceptionally transparent and open in presenting data, not only during the work of the standing working group but also in the public domain," said Stamenković.

According to him, there is a trend of a significant increase in the number of criminal acts committed against the safety of media workers in 2025 and 2026.

He explained that in 2025, compared to 2024, there was a 129 percent increase in the number of reported attacks to prosecutors, and that already increased number from 2025 was further increased during the first nine months of this year by nearly 19 percent.

"The main problem, as can be seen from the statistics, is that prosecutors send requests to the police, and in an extremely large number, which seems to be between 60 and 70 percent, unfortunately, the police have not provided responses to the requests of public prosecutors regarding information, evidence, and other data that are essential for making our decisions," emphasized Stamenković.

He emphasized that the prosecutor's office is the body of criminal prosecution, not investigation, and that the Ministry of Interior is responsible for that, noting that there is a problem related to the police's failure to respond to prosecutors' requests.

He also mentioned that there is an extremely low number of verdicts this year and last year, as well as a small number of indictments, which is a consequence of prosecutors not having enough evidence on which they can base charges and successfully follow through with the prosecution in court.

"In 2025, compared to 2024, we had an increase of almost 336 percent, if I'm not mistaken, in the number of physical attacks on journalists compared to 2024. Such a jump in any area of criminal acts has not been recorded for, at least as far as I know, in nearly 30 years of my work in the public prosecutorial profession in this country," emphasized Stamenković.

This, in his assessment, is a blatant indicator that 2025 was an extremely dangerous year for journalists regarding physical attacks.

During 2026, he added, a certain decrease in the number of physical attacks on journalists was recorded.

Regarding the increase in threats and attacks on journalists in cyberspace, Stamenković noted that there is a peculiar situation that will not be easily rectified until the new assembly is constituted and certain legal solutions currently in force are changed.

"Almost 65 percent of all reported threats to journalists have occurred in cyberspace. For this, unfortunately, the specialized department for high-tech crime within the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade is currently responsible," said Stamenković.

As for the Special Department for High-Tech Crime, Stamenković reminded that all provisions essential for the functioning of that department, instead of a special prosecutor's office or a prosecutor's office of special jurisdiction in that area, remain under the direct control of the chief public prosecutor at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade and the closest prosecutors handling that matter.

"As long as we do not have a quality change in the law in that area and practically fulfill the recommendations of the Venice Commission, which has clearly stated that regarding cybercrime, there must be a prosecutor's office of special jurisdiction that will operate autonomously and independently under the law," said Stamenković.

Source: N1