"Protecting Local Media": SRG Meeting Held with Journalists Ahead of Local Elections in Bor on March 29

At a meeting of the SRG with representatives of local media and prosecutors in Bor, he emphasized that January and February have brought a new trend – attacks via social media, as well as a noticeable escalation of attacks through the Center for Social Stability.

“The authorities want to shift the responsibility for political failures onto journalists and the media. There has never been such an intense campaign against certain journalists and media. In the 1990s, we consciously engaged in activities that brought us closer to the citizens. We must collaborate. Miljko Stojanović from Glas Zaječara is a good example because he became known across the country through Belgrade,” emphasized Matić at the meeting in Bor, organized by ANEM in cooperation with the OSCE Mission in Serbia.

According to him, it is very important for local media to be protected and to be in the forefront, especially as professional media are disappearing and new fabricated media are emerging.

Present representatives of media from Bor and surrounding cities highlighted a number of issues they have been facing in their daily work recently, noting that one form of pressure on local journalists is targeting through various pages on social media and portals.

“There are indications of who is behind the portals that attack. Artificial intelligence is being abused for montages used for defamation. The biggest problem is that some so-called intelligence information is being manipulated to facilitate slander, as such false news spreads through a network of media under the control of the authorities,” said Lazar Dinić from Revolt.

Igor Velić, a journalist and representative of the Safe Paths association, who has been the target of threats in recent weeks, assessed that there is a real danger in Bor that the police will not react on election day, and that journalists should be clearly visible that day.        

Miljko Stojanović, a journalist from Glas Zaječara, pointed out that so far no case of attack against him has been prosecuted and recalled that before the last protest, drones were again filming the homes of journalists and activists.

“On election day, we expect that the police will not protect journalists. Also, there is a noticeable increase in voters – there are now 31,000 despite negative natural growth and a large number of people who have moved away from Zaječar,” emphasized Stojanović.

Regarding local information, Jovan Janjić from the portal Tebrizam assessed that there is a noticeable lack of media culture among citizens.

“We are a youth media outlet and due to our critical stance, we cannot count on financial support from the authorities. The city has completely ostracized us. We have no NGO sector, no cultural offerings, and it is hard to think critically… In Zaječar, the situation is better concerning the non-governmental sector. Here, people are scared,” noted Janjić.

Lawyer Rade Đurić from the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) emphasized that local media operate in very difficult circumstances, lack support through project co-financing, and are also targets of organized attacks on social media.

“It would be good to report which accounts are potential targets of such attacks so that we can notify Meta in advance. The idea is to prevent this from happening to students who inform in the public interest and professional media. Contact us and let us know when you are endangered so we can inform all relevant institutions,” stated Đurić.

Milica Branković from Civil Initiatives reminded that they launched the Shield network a year ago, which includes 100 lawyers across the country and currently has about 200 cases.

“The police are aware of the Shield. Save our number or remember it if your phone is taken away. Our experience tells us that the police are aware of the Shield and are more cautious when they hear about us because they know how many lawyers work for us. Through the Shield system, we are creating a case archive and are in contact with organizations abroad,” said Branković.

Ksenija Branković, a public prosecutor at the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Negotin, stated that anyone who attacks journalists should be prosecuted, regardless of the editorial policy of the media they work for.

“My number is publicly available – feel free to call me, the police will find it hard to ignore my call,” emphasized Branković.

The meeting was attended by media representatives from Bor, Negotin, and Zaječar, prosecutors from Negotin and Bor, representatives from Civil Initiatives, and the OSCE Mission in Serbia, in addition to SRG members.

Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM)

The project “Violence Prevention System and Protection of Journalists” is conducted by ANEM in partnership with Insider TV and the Center for Development of Local Media, with the support of the European Union.

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