Call on President von der Leyen to address media…

Call on President von der Leyen to address media freedom crisis in the Western Balkans

Against the backdrop of a rapidly worsening media freedom crisis across the region, most prominently in Serbia, a coalition of international media freedom, journalists’ and freedom of expression organisations calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise the threats to the protection of journalists and media pluralism with the respective authorities during her visit to the Western Balkans this week (13-16 October).

13.10.2025

Since October last year, our organisations have recorded extraordinary pressures on media freedom across the region. The abrupt shutdown of Al Jazeera Balkans, the intensifying political pressure on the N1 and Nova TV channels and the launch of a TV channel by the Kremlin’s propaganda outlet RT Balkan, represent existential threats to independent and reliable journalism across the region.

Furthermore, the recriminalisation of defamation and the adoption of a foreign agent law in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Republika Srpska, as well as widespread reductions in funding for independent media, paint a grim picture of the media landscape, and the one in which independent and small newsrooms may not be able to survive.

Pressures on public broadcasters, private outlets and media authorities in Albania and Kosovo together with politicians’ attempts to restrict media access to them underscore the serious dangers posed to journalists’ right to inform and the citizens’ right to information.

Mapping Media Freedom (MapMF) has registered 381 alerts affecting 617 journalists and media workers in the six countries of the Western Balkans, with a stark 222 cases registered in Serbia alone. The current level of violence against journalists in Serbia is unique in any EU member state or candidate country. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has documented 34 physical attacks committed in less than two summer months against media professionals by political activists and law enforcement agents. To this day, the annual tally of physical violence in 2025 stands at 82 cases, according to RSF data – an unprecedented level judging by the records of the Independent Journalists’ Association (NUNS) kept since 2008. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented that as the government toughened its stance against the protests, Serbian journalists have increasingly reported being deliberately targeted by police, especially when covering police violence.

The cases documented in Serbia by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) confirm the severity, having documented physical, verbal and other attacks against 315 journalists, media outlets and journalists’ associations since 1 November 2024. These attacks are incited by the frequent unfounded accusations against the press by, among others, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić himself. In September 2025 alone, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation registered 141 cases of verbal attacks on journalists and media by high-ranking state officials and members of the parliamentary majority.

Since the beginning of the anti-corruption protests, our organisations have repeatedly raised these issues and asked the Commission to send a clear signal to Belgrade about the consequences that attacks on the press, the support for Russian propaganda, and a systemic failure to protect journalists could have for the European Union enlargement process and disbursement of EU Funds. The MFRR mission to Belgrade in April 2025 explicitly raised alarm about the crisis for media freedom, and issued urgent recommendations to the Serbian authorities and the European Commission.

Since this call for action, pressure on independent reporting and media freedom has only worsened. In June, the process to appoint new members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) council was again conducted in an opaque and discriminatory manner, making a mockery of EU-mandated reforms. In recent weeks, United Group media N1 and Nova TV have faced serious threats to their independence, sparking renewed concerns of direct political meddling in television news channels reporting on the protests. This pressure also increasingly puts journalists and outlets in financial difficulty, with several outlets at the brink of financial collapse.

Failure to effectively challenge the Serbian authorities sets a worrying precedent for other accession countries, especially those in the region. Both media and their audiences on the ground need to know that the European Union enlargement process will meaningfully contribute to building a safe environment for journalists and guarantee the public’s right to credible information in the Western Balkans, with Serbia as the most stark example. Press freedom remains a crucial requirement for building healthy democracies and the promotion of European values in the Western Balkans.

The undersigned organisations therefore call on President von der Leyen to make clear demands to the authorities regarding the protection of media freedom and safety of journalists, in particular for Serbian President Vučić. The instruments available to the Commission, including the suspension of EU funds, should be enacted to send a clear message about the European Union’s commitment to independent journalism and media freedom in the region.

Signed by:

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
Index on Censorship
International Press Institute (IPI)
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

This statement was coordinated by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

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Backroom deals to silence independent media in Serbia?

As the political situation in Serbia remains explosive, the publication of a controversial private conversation highlights an attempt to muzzle the few media outlets in the country that continue to take a critical line towards the government.

12.09.2025

By Massimo Moratti

Original publication on OBCT, also available in Italian.

In Serbia’s media landscape, characterized by a rapidly and progressive deterioration in freedom information , N1 and Nova S are the only major media outlets looking critically at the actions of the Serbian government and authorities.

Over the last summer, marked by frequent protests and violence in many Serbian cities, the two broadcasters regularly reported live from protest sites. Journalists from both stations, often wearing protective helmets, were frequently exposed to scenes of urban warfare and occasionally harassed, insulted, and beaten by government supporters and sometimes even by law enforcement . No other media outlet in Serbia has been covering the protests live.

The recording

For these reasons, the publication of a recording of a conversation between Telekom Serbia’s executive director, Vladimir Lučić, and United Group’s general manager, Stan Miller, has caused a huge stir.

Telekom Serbia is largely state-owned, while United Group holds a majority stake in United Media, the company that owns N1. The recording was released by OCCRP (Organized Crime Corruption Reporting Project) and KRIK (Crime and Corruption Investigation Network), two organizations at the forefront of reporting crime and corruption in the region.

The recording is from a meeting between the two CEOs of their respective organizations, which took place in early August. At the beginning of the conversation, Miller commented on the situation, saying that “Serbia is exploding under our asses.” The conversation then focused on Aleksandra Subotić, executive director of United Media.

During the recording, Miller tells Lučić that he can’t immediately fire Subotić, as agreed, and that he must first downsize the company and divide it into several parts. Miller says he understands the president is very angry.

Lučić responds that President Vučić has already discussed the matter with Nikos Stathopoulos, the president of the British group that holds a majority stake in United Group. Lučić says that President Vučić only asked for the removal of Subotić, not the directors of N1 and Nova S, because he knows it’s difficult to remove the director at the moment. Miller himself says he’s very annoyed by Subotić.

Reactions

The publication of the recordings immediately sparked protests from the independent press, which gave wide coverage to the story and denounced what appeared to be an attempt to silence N1 and Nova S.

President Vučić’s office, contacted for comment by the two portals, reiterated that “[President] Vučić does not interfere in the editorial policy of the media, nor does he have any interest in it.” Telekom Serbia initially declined to respond, but immediately after the recording was published, it announced it would file lawsuits against all those involved, not because the content was inauthentic, but because the two portals had not sent the recording to Telekom for verification. Lučić categorically denied President Vučić’s involvement.

However, United Group’s position confirmed the conversation and its contents. United Group, which had previously reiterated that “in all the countries in which it operates, it has never been influenced, and will never be influenced, by political pressure,” confirmed that the conversation took place and reiterated its content, but firmly rejected any insinuation that the company was attempting to undermine the independence of its media outlets. However, it emphasized that recording private conversations is illegal.

While N1, Nova S, and other independent portals gave the incident considerable coverage, closely following the developments, government-affiliated media outlets and press reported it only indirectly two days later, when Lučić explained the content of the conversation to RTS and announced he would file a lawsuit for publishing the recording.

The tabloid Informer , one of the government’s most ardent supporters, followed the same line and focused on Lučić’s comments, openly criticizing Subotić for mismanaging United Media and for causing damage to both United Group and Telekom, thus deserving to be replaced.

While the reactions in Serbia reflect the polarization of Serbian society, outside Serbia condemnation of the attempts to limit the independence of N1 and Nova S was unanimous. The organizations participating in the Media Freedom Rapid Response project issued a press release on the matter, condemning attempts to limit media independence and calling for intervention by European institutions to curb such attempts.

A few days later, this intervention arrived: when asked about the matter, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos explicitly stated that pressure on the media, whether political or economic, does not benefit democracy.

Concerning signs

The concerns of industry insiders and those closely following media freedom in Serbia do not appear to be unfounded. Already in February, United Group had sold SBB, the cable television provider (including N1 and Nova S), to Telekom Serbia. The news had raised considerable concern regarding the negative impact on media freedom.

These concerns were heightened a few weeks later when United Group sold its satellite component to Total TV, and shortly thereafter, Total TV sold it to Telekom Srbija . Shortly after this sale, N1 and Nova S were excluded from Telekom Srbija’s satellite programs.

These transactions further alarmed industry experts, who saw a coordinated effort to reduce the visibility of independent television stations. Moreover, President Vučić’s discontent with N1 and Nova S is a fact: already in June, he had described the activities of these two television stations as “pure terrorism ,” expecting prosecutors to take action against them. This expectation was reiterated after the recent incidents in Novi Sad.

More recently, the weekly Vreme reported that Vučić’s goal is to shut down the two television stations by November 2025. The timing of this closure would be strategic given that many are speculating that new elections will be held by December 2025.

This article was published by OBCT as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism which tracks, monitors and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries.

Allgemein

Serbia: MFRR partners warn against attempt to seize political…

Serbia: MFRR partners warn against attempt to seize political control of last remaining independent TV stations N1 and Nova

The partners of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) express serious concern over the threat of political interference in the operations of the United Group’s media outlets in Serbia, which owns the major independent television news channels that are active in Serbia, N1 and Nova TV.

04.09.2025

On 27 August 2025, new information revealed by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and published in collaboration with the investigative outlet KRIK suggested that Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić intends to undermine the independence of N1 and Nova TV.

A leaked recording emerged of a conversation between Vladimir Lučić, CEO of Telekom Srbija, and Stan Miller, the CEO of United Group, newly appointed by the British private firm BC Partners, a major owner of United Group, in which the two can be heard discussing Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s demand for the dismissal of United Media’s executive director, Aleksandra Subotić, as he is “aware that it is difficult now to change the director of N1”. This conversation clearly suggests a plan to first replace the executive chief of the United Group, who had resisted commercial and political pressure over the years, before interfering with N1.

The authenticity of the recording has been confirmed by the United Group. Meanwhile, the President’s spokesperson denied Vučić’s intent to interfere with the management of N1.

The MFRR consortium is appalled by the content of the audio recording and condemns any political interference within the United Group that would have a significant impact on independent broadcasters, starting with N1. In July, the MFRR had already expressed concern in a letter to BC Partners regarding the recent change in leadership at United Group.

This information is particularly concerning amidst intensified political pressure on independent journalism in Serbia. Back in April, N1 and Nova TV were removed from the satellite television service, leaving viewers with no choice but to watch these channels on the internet. N1 was the most-watched TV channel on the SBB network.

In addition, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his allies have engaged in relentless smear campaigns against the independent reporting of N1 on the student-led protests that emerged since the collapse of the canopy of the railway station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024. N1, which was labelled by President Vučić as “doing pure terrorism”, is constantly portrayed as an opponent of the state, along with United Media journalists in Serbia. These state rhetorics are also widely and dangerously taken up by private individuals sending regular threats online, including death threats and threats of physical violence. Since January 2025, Mapping Media Freedom has documented 26 instances of intimidation and threats against N1, predominantly online.

Therefore, the MFRR urges the Serbian government to stop all forms of undue influence on private media owners and respect the independence of media houses, while also refraining from applying pressure on editorial policies and decisions through personal relationships or political connections. Smear campaigns aimed to discredit truthful reporting must be immediately stopped. The consortium also calls on the authorities to ensure swift and independent investigations into attacks on journalists. As assessed during the MFRR solidarity mission in April, pending investigations never make it to the end.

We also reiterate our calls on BC Partners to reaffirm its commitment to European standards of media freedom and freedom of expression and to defend United Media’s affiliates and employees from political and other forms of interference, also in line with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). We support the Manifesto for Independent Journalism, published by United Media editors in Serbia in reaction to the audio recording.

We further call on the European institutions to publicly condemn any attempts by President Aleksandar Vučić and other politicians to interfere with and denigrate the independent broadcaster’s editorial policy. Given the constant, steady decline of media freedom in Serbia, including the surge of physical attacks also perpetrated by law enforcement officers, concrete and stronger actions are needed before the media landscape becomes entirely government-controlled. As of 4 September, Mapping Media Freedom has documented 200 alerts directed against journalists, media outlets, and journalists’ associations in Serbia since 1 November 2024, an unprecedented figure compared to the previous years.

Finally, the MFRR stands in full solidarity with the employees of United Media and the journalists of N1, who continue to produce high-quality reporting despite operating in such a highly hostile environment for critical voices.

Signed by:

ARTICLE 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
OBC Transeuropa (OBCT)

Allgemein

Serbia: New death threat referring to Charlie Hebdo against…

Serbia: New death threat referring to Charlie Hebdo against independent N1 television channel requires urgent police protection

The independent television channel N1’s editorial staff, regularly threatened for their critical reporting, recently faced a frightening shift from online violence to offline threats within the newsroom. Among them, a threatening letter reminding N1 of the 2015 terrorist attack at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that killed 12 journalists and media workers, was addressed to the staff.

15 June 2025

The European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ-IFJ), joined their Serbian members in urging the Ministry of Interior for police protection of the independent television channel N1 whose security needs to be stepped up.

The evident escalation occurred after the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić dangerously labelled N1 and Nova S’s reporting as “pure terrorism”. Vučić’s rhetoric, including the attempts to prompt the Prosecutor’s Office into action, led to six new online death threats directed at N1. ”You will hang sooner or later on Terazije,” “you will soon be burned,” are just a few examples.

The anonymous letter sent to the newsroom on 11 July marked a new, frightening level of violence. While accusing N1 reporting of ‘inciting propaganda’ and running an ‘anti-Serbian chase’, the author of the letter suggested that N1’s journalists could end up like those at Charlie Hebdo. “If you remember the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo played with and joked about Muslims in 2015,” read the letter.

N1 Director Igor Božič told the Third Prosecutor’s Office that the terrorist attack allusion was “one of the most brutal threats our editorial office has received,” causing immense fear among the journalists and their families.

In addition to the letter, journalist Zaklina Tatalović received an intimidating “gift” at the newsroom from activist Tomislav Lovreković, who previously intervened as a guest speaker for pro-government tabloid Informer. He entered N1 premises with a white rabbit, accompanied by the message “breed rabbits, not lions.” A video of the incident was broadcast by Informer, and shared on its social media. Recently, Tatalović was threatened with death in an anonymous email.

Since January, the EFJ has recorded on the Mapping Media Freedom platform over 15 threats targeting N1.

The EFJ-IFJ firmly request the Ministry of Interior that the N1 newsroom be afforded police protection, specifically through daily police patrols. This is particularly crucial for journalists who have recently been explicitly named in death threats, requiring heightened vigilance.

We also urge authorities to immediately identify and prosecute all individuals responsible for online and offline threats to prevent further violence. By using dangerous rhetoric against critical voices, Vučić inevitably put critical voices already facing threats for their reporting in even greater danger as demonstrated with N1.

We express our full support to N1.

Allgemein

Serbia: Media freedom continues to decline at alarming speed,…

Serbia: Media freedom continues to decline at alarming speed, EU must take action

The undersigned journalists and media freedom organisations are profoundly appalled by the new attacks against journalists across Serbia, many of which are perpetrated by state representatives and law enforcement authorities. The situation of emergency of media freedom in Serbia – as assessed by the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) during its April solidarity mission – has not only persisted but significantly deteriorated at alarming speed, despite our repeated warnings and recommendations.

11.07.2025

As of 11 July, the Mapping Media Freedom platform, has documented a total of 95 cases of press freedom violations against 184 journalists, media outlets, and journalists associations in the last six months. This is an unprecedented figure compared to previous years.

The entire media system is affected: individual journalists have been physically assaulted, publicly smeared, threatened, dismissed, or pressured to resign. At the same time, the ongoing process to elect new members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) has flagged significant concerns regarding the impartiality of the process and the risk of political capture skewing how the media sector is regulated. In this context, the undersigned journalists and media freedom organisations sound the alarm: the time for warning is over, international action is urgently needed.

As regards the latest European Commission’s Rule of Law report on Serbia, it falls considerably short of capturing the severity of the situation. The undersigned organisations urge that persistent intimidation and violence can no longer be observed as business as usual.

Violence during protests coverage by law enforcement officers

The role of the police is a growing concern, as law enforcement authorities have shifted from inaction to direct confrontation with protesters and journalists, routinely resorting to excessive force, including physical assaults and arbitrary arrests.

Over the past weeks, at least 11 media workers covering ongoing student-led protests have been physically assaulted despite being identified as press. During the large protest of 28 June, which was defined by disproportionate use of force by the police against protesters, numerous journalists were injured by the police, who used batons, riot shields, and tear gas. As most incidents are not investigated, most perpetrators are never brought to justice. To address this climate of impunity, we urge state authorities to conduct swift, independent, and thorough investigations into each of these assaults.

While the EU has called for the protection of fundamental rights, including the right to free assembly and the right to free expression, as it relates to the protests and policing, it has so far failed to specifically address the alarming rise in violence against journalists.

Regarding the EC’s 2025 Rule of Law Report on Serbia, the undersigned organisations express alarm at the very limited attention given to the safety of journalists, which, in the light of escalating threats, warrants far greater scrutiny and prioritization. The current approach risks downplaying the gravity of the situation.

President Aleksandar Vučić’s dangerous rhetoric against the independent press

Since the 1 November tragedy, Vučić has repeatedly targeted the independent press. By labelling N1 and Nova S reporting as “pure terrorism,” and attempting to prompt the Prosecutor’s Office into action, the President’s behaviour puts independent voices, already at risk due to their critical reporting, at further risk. This followed both channels being removed from the satellite television service EON SAT (Total TV), which had recently been sold to Telekom Srbija, which is partly owned by the Serbian state. While the President denied the removal, he stated that both channels could be shut down within “five minutes.” As a result of Vučić’s statements about the channels, N1 was the target of further online death threats.

The undersigned organisations further condemn the recent smear campaign launched by the newly formed pro-government Association of Journalists of Serbia (ANS) against the EFJ affiliate and MFRR partner, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS). That a journalist organisation can be weaponised to direct such abuse undermines the tireless efforts of media representatives in supporting independent journalists and their reporting of the protests.

Purge in several media outlets of journalists defending the profession

Against this backdrop, the dismissal of journalists and media workers in a number of publications and outlets who have been reportedly targeted with threats, acts of censorship, and warnings of dismissal for their defence of their profession or for voicing support for the ongoing protests is of significant concern. We are worried that political motives may have informed the dismissal decisions at publications such as Euronews Serbia, ELLE Serbia, Večernje Novosti, and Politika. Calls for appropriate compensation for those dismissed and inquiries into the publications’ handling of these dismissals were requested via the CoE platform for the Safety of Journalists. The situation at the public broadcaster RTS continues to be a matter of concern. Contracts were not renewed for at least temporary workers at the public broadcaster who, along with numerous other employees, signed an open letter advocating for objective reporting.

REM election process fails to follow EU-required reform

The appointment process to the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), Serbia’s most important media regulator, was again conducted in a flawed manner, defined by many as lacking the necessary transparency and independence. Twice this year, independent candidates and nominating organisations withdrew from the process due to widespread complaints of procedural irregularities that have benefited those affiliated with the Government. This not only violates Article 10 of the Law on Electronic Media but also demonstrates once again how Serbian authorities continue to ignore EU-mandated reforms of the REM Council.

Therefore, these new alarming developments require a strong reaction from the European Commission to address attacks on public interest journalism and freedoms in Serbia. The Commission should reaffirm its rule of law requirements through clear demands, statements, and concrete action to de-escalate this situation of emergency before press freedom falls entirely under repression.

The European Commission should ensure that achieving tangible progress on human rights is at the center of any decisions to disburse EU funding under IPA III and the Growth and Reform Facility. Further EU funding should also be directed to promoting civil society and independent media. The EU should insist on the meaningful involvement of civil society and journalists’ organisations in the monitoring and tracking of Serbia’s delivery on these commitments.

Finally, we would like to express once again our solidarity with journalists and media workers across Serbia who, despite an increasingly challenging work environment, continue to inform the public.

Signed by:

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
International Press Institute (IPI)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
Association of European Journalists (AEJ)
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Index on Censorship
PEN International

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Serbia: Media regulator election again made a mockery of…

Serbia: Media regulator election again made a mockery of EU-required reforms

Process to appoint new members of media regulator council was again conducted in non-transparent and discriminatory manner

19.06.2025

The process for the appointment of new members to the council of Serbia’s media regulator has again been conducted in a non-transparent and discriminatory manner, in clear violation of Serbian legislation, making a mockery of democratic media reforms demanded by the European Union, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and SafeJournalists Network said today.

Last week, candidates and nominator organisations which are independent of the government pulled out of the process for appointing new members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM), Serbia’s most important media regulator.

The independent groups cited numerous serious violations of legal requirements and manipulation of the election process by the government majority in the Committee for Culture and Information of the National Assembly. Many of the proposed candidates did not satisfy professional requirements, while multiple organisations permitted to nominate candidates displayed clear government bias or were formed in murky circumstances.

Efforts to address these concerns were rejected by the government majority in the Committee earlier this month after they voted against a proposal by the opposition to individually consider each application and the organisation proposing candidates to address serious allegations of bias or non compliance with criteria.

Our organisations conclude that the appointment process to the REM Council was again conducted in a non-transparent, non-independent and arbitrary manner, favouring candidates and organisations supportive of the ruling administration, in violation of Article 10 of the Law on Electronic Media. This makes a mockery of actual democratic reform called for by the EU.

Our organisations note with further concern that this is the second time that independent candidates have withdrawn from the process, after the initial procedure was abandoned in January 2025 due to widespread complaints of the same procedural irregularities.

The result is that the new election of the REM Council – a key EU-mandated measure outlined in both EU Rule of Law and Enlargement reports – is now again in a state of limbo, stalling wider reform of the Serbian media ecosystem.

The MFRR, which recently undertook a media freedom mission to Serbia, has repeatedly highlighted the need for urgent reform of the REM, which has long been stacked with government loyalists and undermined by political capture, resulting in an underregulated media ecosystem rife with propaganda and disinformation.

As pointed out in our recent mission report, the REM has long represented a key element of media capture in Serbia. Under the control of government loyalists, the previous REM Council, which is responsible for issuing television and radio broadcasting licences, made controversial decisions which undermined media pluralism by boosting pro-government broadcasters at the expense of independent broadcasting houses.

The REM repeatedly failed to uphold its mandate. It has failed to oversee fair and balanced election coverage; it has failed to address violent rhetoric and hate speech by tabloid media, as well as the spread of pro-Russian disinformation, and it has failed to sanction targeted smear campaigns by certain tabloid media on critics of the ruling party and its leadership.

As the REM Council is also tasked with appointing the Boards of Directors of Serbia’s state broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), the appointment of government aligned individuals to the Council remains fundamental to maintaining overall control by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party over the country’s media landscape and broader public discourse.

If it is to be assessed as credible, legitimate and lawful by the European Union, the REM Council election process must be held in a fair, transparent and democratic manner, free from irregularities, and resulting in a pluralistic and professional body able to carry out its mandate without obstruction. This must be accompanied by a detailed assessment of conflicts of interests, with any candidate or organisation displaying clear bias disqualified.

It is highly regrettable that these democratic procedures and rule of law requirements were wilfully disregarded by the Committee for Culture and Information during this selection process.

Moving forward, the EU should be clear eyed about the disingenuous and compromised approach displayed by Serbian authorities in implementing EU-mandated reform of the REM Council. The legally unviable and politically motivated manner in which the recent election procedure was carried out should mean that progress on media reforms under Chapter 23 of the EU accession process remain stalled until true democratic reform is completed.

We warn finally that the situation at the REM Council is illustrative of the wider state of emergency for press and media freedom in Serbia, where attacks on independent journalism in recent months have reached levels not seen for decades, deepening a long-standing media freedom crisis that requires urgent attention and vigilance from the EU.

Signed by:

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR)

International Press Institute (IPI)
ARTICLE 19 Europe
European Centre for Press and media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)

SafeJournalists Network

Association of Journalists of Kosovo
Association of Journalists of Macedonia
BH Journalists Association
Croatian Journalists’ Association
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Trade Union of Media of Montenegro

Allgemein

Serbia: Media freedom in a state of emergency –…

Serbia: Media freedom in a state of emergency – New report

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today shares alarming findings about the deteriorating state of press and media freedom in Serbia. The MFRR solidarity mission to Belgrade and Novi Sad, conducted on 7-9 April, alongside ongoing monitoring, revealed a state of emergency – one that demands urgent attention and action from national authorities and the EU.

2 May 2025

Although the media freedom crisis has persisted for years, the reporting of the deadly collapse of the Novi Sad canopy railway has led to ever-increasing pressure on journalists across Serbia, including young media professionals and journalism students.

From censorship, political pressure, increasing media capture, relentless smear campaigns, and abusive lawsuits and daily threats to their lives, media workers face a hostile environment where perpetrators – including state authorities and government officials – act with total impunity. Investigations into threats, when opened, are rarely efficient, let alone concluded, and serve more as box-ticking exercises than genuine efforts to deliver justice and protect journalists.

Prevented from carrying out its normal work, the press has been forced to focus on surviving relentless attacks, resisting discrediting efforts, and suppression, to the detriment of the citizens’ right to free and unbiased information.

During the solidarity mission, the MFRR partners focused on meeting with journalists from both private and state-owned outlets, as well as trade unions and civil society groups. The delegation also met with officials from the State Attorney’s Office and the Serbian police, as well as representatives from the European Union (EU) office in Belgrade, the Council of Europe (CoE), and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Amid the MFRR findings are serious omissions by the Serbian authorities regarding the protection of journalists, which are irreconcilable with the protection of freedom of expression as prescribed by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the benchmarks set as part of the accession negotiations concerning Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights).

Key recommendations to Serbian authorities, including the President of Serbia, include:

Cease and condemn all public attacks on the media and journalists
Cease all illegal police actions against the media, including office raids
Cease the illegal use of spyware against journalists and civil society
Ensure law enforcement training
Ensure a thorough and swift investigation into the attacks on media and journalists, including the historic murders
Ensure the new process for appointing members of the REM Council is conducted in a fair, independent and transparent process, free from political influence.
Ensure the independence of the public broadcaster

To the European Union:

Publicly condemn all attacks on journalists and civil society actors who receive threats, physical attacks, and legal threats as a result of their work
Publicly and consistently question Serbian authorities about the status of investigations into attacks against journalists
Publicly condemn the unlawful digital surveillance and use of spyware against journalists and CSOs and raise those in high-level meetings with senior officials, including the President of Serbia
Consider suspending negotiations with Serbian authorities on Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights) of the EU accession process until substantial and sustained reforms are made regarding media freedom, media pluralism, and the safety of journalists.

The Media Freedom Rapid Response stands ready to participate in public consultations and support efforts to strengthen media freedom in Serbia.

The mission was led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), and was joined by representatives from ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Press Institute (IPI), and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT). It was coordinated with support from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).

The report was produced as a joint effort by all organisations which took part in the mission.

Download the report

Event

Reporting on protests amid repression in Turkey, Serbia, and…

Reporting on protests amid repression in Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia

30 April, 12:00 CET

As authoritarianism rises and democratic institutions weaken across parts of Europe, journalists on the frontlines of protest coverage are increasingly under attack. In Turkey, Serbia, and Georgia, reporters face escalating threats — from police violence and arbitrary detention to online censorship, legal harassment, and coordinated smear campaigns. These tactics not only silence critical voices but also undermine the public’s right to information.

To mark World Press Freedom Day 2025, this webinar will examine the hostile environment facing independent media in these three countries.

Through firsthand accounts and expert insights, the panel will explore:

The risks journalists face while covering protests and state abuses
Legal and regulatory tools used to restrict independent reporting
Digital repression and attacks on press freedom online
Strategies for resistance and the role of international actors in promoting accountability

This conversation will also consider how the EU, human rights organisations, and civil society can respond to growing repression and support a freer media environment.

Moderator

Oliver Money-Kyrle

Head of Europe Advocacy and Programmes at International Press Institute (IPI)

Speakers

Moreta Bobokhidze

Eurasia Department Programme Officer, Civil Rights Defenders

Özgür Öğret

Turkey Representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

Uroš Jovanovic

Manager of the Public Policy Program at Civic Initiatives

Allgemein

Serbia: Spyware attacks on BIRN journalists further deepen press…

Serbia: Spyware attacks on BIRN journalists further deepen press freedom crisis

The partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today raise further alarm about the deepening press freedom crisis in Serbia in the wake of revelations showing evidence of the abuse of advanced Pegasus spyware to target two journalists from leading investigative media platform BIRN.

28 March 2025

Our organisations warn that the ultimately failed attempt to use military-grade surveillance technology to spy on journalists from the award-winning Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) represents another milestone in the deteriorating situation in Serbia, which requires immediate and strong interventions from the European Union.

The confirmation of spyware use was published by Amnesty International on March 27 and documented how its forensic testing had shown how the two female journalists – one of whom was Jelena Veljković – had both received messages on February 14 containing fake links, which if clicked would have infected the phone with Pegasus, an advanced spyware tool sold by Israeli cybersurveillance firm NSO Group.

The messages were sent hours apart in the messaging platform Viber from the same number registered with the state operator Telekom Srbija, and included a link which led to a fake version of the Serbian news portal N1. According to BIRN, after the identical messages were flagged as potential phishing attacks, they were forwarded to Amnesty, which carried out the tests. The human rights group said that there was a high probability that one or more actors from the Serbian state apparatus, or agents acting on their behalf, were involved in the attack.

Our organisations strongly condemn the latest example of spyware use to target investigative journalists in Serbia, which is prohibited as a criminal offense under the country’s Criminal Code. These attacks pose a serious threat to journalistic privacy, source protection and media freedom. Alarmingly, these are the seventh and eighth confirmed cases of spyware use against journalists in Serbia, posing a pattern of illegal yet unsanctioned spyware abuse.

The MFRR responded to previous revelations in December 2024 which showed how products made by Israeli company Cellebrite were being used by Serbian authorities to extract data from the phones of journalists and activists. Following Amnesty’s report, Cellebrite revoked its licence to the Serbian authorities. The revelations by Amnesty also documented how domestically-developed spyware, “NoviSpy”, had been developed to infect Android devices and capture confidential information and upload it to a government-controlled server.

The new revelations offer yet more damning evidence of the flagrant abuse of NSO’s technology by its clients. NSO claims its products are “sold exclusively to verified government users” such as state law enforcement and intelligence authorities, meaning its use in Serbia would be limited to state agencies.

Given the fresh abuses, our organisations firstly call on all Serbian intelligence authorities, police bodies, the Ministry of Interior, and the government to immediately provide transparent information about cyber-surveillance capabilities at their disposal and their use against journalists, as well as information about all ongoing contracts with private surveillance firms, any of which would violate the country’s laws.

Secondly, considering the growing body of evidence of Pegasus use by Serbian authorities, our groups demand that NSO Group launch an immediate internal review of any existing contracts with Serbian authorities, consider the repeated breaches of its terms of use, and swiftly revoke any existing contracts, as well as urgently review its safeguards procedures for abuse of its products by authoritarian states.

Thirdly, we urge the European Union to strongly condemn the targeting of journalists from BIRN Serbia, and to request urgent answers from Serbian government and law enforcement authorities about repeated abuses of spyware technology. More widely, the EU must take far stronger action to address spyware use against journalists and the rapidly deteriorating media freedom situation in Serbia, which has now reached its most worrying point in decades, in clear violation of fundamental democratic values required for EU accession.

Our organisations stand by BIRN Serbia, its journalists, and their important investigative work. We will continue to closely monitor, document and respond to all attacks on press freedom and journalists in Serbia, and will make spyware a central topic of investigation during the MFRR’s upcoming emergency visit to the country on April 7-9. During this trip we will gather information about other potentially unreported spyware attacks and work with partner organisations to investigate them.

Signed by:

International Press Institute (IPI)
European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)
Free Press Unlimited (FPU)
Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)

Allgemein

Serbia: MFRR media freedom mission to visit Belgrade and…

Serbia: MFRR media freedom mission to visit Belgrade and Novi Sad

The partners organisation of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) will conduct a mission to Serbia between 7-9 April to meet with journalists, media stakeholders and law enforcement authorities amidst a rapidly worsening media freedom crisis.

28 March 2025

During the three-day visit, the delegation will travel to Belgrade and Novi Sad to meet with journalists, editors, media outlets, journalist associations and civil society groups to gather information about the serious spike in pressure on independent journalism and media freedom by state authorities and government officials.

The mission has sought meetings with officials from the State Prosecutor’s Office and the Serbian Police, as well as representatives from the European Union office in Belgrade (EU), the Council of Europe (COE), and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation (OSCE).

The visit comes as independent media and those covering ongoing nationwide anti-corruption protests face an increasingly dangerous climate of attacks, harassment, death threats, smears from leading public officials, as well as legal threats, and ongoing regulatory and financial pressure.

Since the beginning of protests in November 2024 following the Novi Sad station tragedy, Mapping Media Freedom (MMF), the largest platform in Europe for documenting attacks on journalism and media, which is run by the MFRR, has recorded 66 violations of media freedom and different attacks on journalists.

The mission will be led by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and joined by representatives from ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), the International Press Institute (IPI) and OBC Transeuropa (OBCT). It is being coordinated with support from the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).

The partner organisations of the MFRR last jointly visited Serbia in 2023 to attend events marking the anniversary of the murder of Serbian editor Slavko Curuvija in 1999. An MFRR fact-finding mission to Serbia was also carried out in 2021.

A mission report with key findings and recommendations will be published by MFRR partners following the visit and provided to EU authorities.

The delegation will also be holding press conferences with both Belgrade and Novi Sad. For more information, or to schedule interviews, please email mfrr@ecpmf.eu

Recent MFRR advocacy on Serbia:

Serbia: One year of unpunished attacks on journalist Dinko Gruhonjić

Serbia: Urgent call stop targeting and intimidating journalists

Serbia: Urgent need for a swift and thorough investigation into invasive surveillance of journalists and sources

Serbia: Media independence is an exception rather than the rule

Serbia: Independent journalism faces its biggest crisis in years

Srbija: Misija za slobodu medija MFRR u poseti Beogradu i Novom Sadu

Partnerske organizacije platforme Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) će sprovesti misiju u Srbiji između 7. i 9. aprila tokom koje će se sastati sa novinarima, medijskim interesnim grupama i organima za sprovođenje zakona usred sve veće krize slobode medija.

Tokom trodnevne posete delegacija će boraviti u Beogradu i Novom Sadu gde će se sastati sa novinarima, urednicima, medijskim kućama, novinarskim udruženjima i organizacijama civilnog društva kako bi prikupila informacije o ozbiljnom porastu pritisaka na nezavisno novinarstvo i slobodu medija od strane državnih organa i službenika.

Misija je takođe tražila sastanak sa zvaničnicima Republičkog javnog tužilaštva i policije, kao i sa predstavnicima kancelarije Evropske unije u Beogradu (EU) i Organizacije za bezbednost i saradnju (OEBS).

Poseta dolazi u trenutku kada se nezavisni mediji i oni koji izveštavaju o aktuelnim protestima protiv korupcije širom zemlje suočavaju sa sve opasnijom atmosferom napada, uznemiravanja, pretnji smrću, kleveta koje dolaze od visokih državnih funkcionera, kao i pravnih pretnji i kontinuiranih regulatornih i finansijskih pritisaka.

Od početka protesta u novembru 2024. nakon tragedije na stanici u Novom Sadu, Mapping Media Freedom (MMF), najveća platforma u Evropi za dokumentovanje napada na novinare i medije, koju vodi MFRR, zabeležila je 66 slučajeva kršenja slobode medija i raznih napada na novinare.

Misiju će predvoditi Evropska federacija novinara (EFJ), uz učešće predstavnika ARTICLE 19 Europe, Evropskog centra za slobodu štampe i medija (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), Međunarodnog instituta za štampu (IPI) i OBC Transeuropa (OBCT). Koordinira se uz podršku Nezavisnog udruženja novinara Srbije (NUNS).

Partnerske organizacije platforme MFRR poslednji put su zajedno posetile Srbiju 2023. godine kako bi prisustvovale događajima povodom obeležavanja godišnjice ubistva srpskog novinara Slavka Ćuruvije 1999. godine. Mreža MFRR je 2021. godine u Srbiji obavila misiju za procenu stanja slobode medija.

Nakon posete partneri MFRR-a objaviće izveštaj sa najvažnijim zaključcima i preporukama, koji će potom biti dostavljen zvaničnicima Evropske unije.

Delegacija će takođe održati konferencije za štampu u Beogradu i Novom Sadu. Za više informacija i zakazivanje intervjua pišite na e-mail adresu mfrr@ecpmf.eu

Nedavne akcije MFRR-a vezane za Srbiju:

Serbia: One year of unpunished attacks on journalist Dinko Gruhonjić

Serbia: Urgent call stop targeting and intimidating journalists

Serbia: Urgent need for a switf and thorough investigation into invasive surveillance of journalists and sources

Serbia: Media independence is an exception rather than the rule

Serbia: Independent journalism faces its biggest crisis in years