Veran Matić: The most serious cases of attacks on journalists are not prosecuted.

Matić added that this year we have a much higher number of security threats against journalists than before, which is indicated by the current tally of 92 reported cases, while the total for the entire previous year was 62.

“However, this is still a much smaller number than what has actually occurred, considering data indicating that over 50 percent of cases have not been reported in recent years due to the complicated reporting procedures for journalists and media workers. It has also been noted that media workers who report threats and attacks go through a process of secondary victimization,” Matić assessed at the beginning of the meeting.

According to him, the violence occurring at public gatherings, as well as police attacks on journalists, is particularly concerning.

“It is evident that there is a political decision in place allowing not only the perpetrators protected by the police but also police representatives themselves to intervene against journalists, thereby making their reporting more difficult. In recent months, 12 reports have been submitted to the Internal Control Service of the Ministry of Interior for excessive use of force,” Matić stated.

Journalists who participated in the discussion shared their experiences of reporting from protests and the repression by the police, which they assessed as unprecedented in Niš in recent years.

The FAR portal from Dimitrovgrad has been one of the media outlets from southern Serbia that has frequently been targeted by attacks and pressure in recent years.

“It has been getting worse and worse over the last two years. We are facing a lot of political pressure, starting from local politicians and escalating further, as they do not favor objective reporting,” said Slaviša Milanov from the FAR portal, adding, “We will not give up easily; we will hold on as much as we can.”

The project "System for the Prevention of Violence and Protection of Journalists" is implemented by ANEM in partnership with Insajder TV and the Center for the Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union, the Balkan Democracy Fund, and the Ministry of Information and Telecommunications of the Republic of Serbia.

The OSCE Mission in Serbia has supported ANEM's project “24/7 SOS Hotline for Assistance to Journalists and Other Vulnerable Media Workers” within the EU-funded project “Strengthening Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Serbia.”