The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) has warned that media freedom in Serbia is in a deep crisis, marked by record levels of physical violence against journalists, death threats, online smear campaigns, entrenched impunity, and strong political control over the media landscape. According to a new report, the space for independent journalism is shrinking rapidly.
The EFJ, together with partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) initiative and the Council of Europe Platform for the Safety of Journalists, presented a report based on an international fact-finding mission conducted in Belgrade in March 2026. The report states that 209 media freedom violations were recorded in Serbia during 2025—more than double the 84 cases documented in 2024—affecting 359 journalists, media workers, and media organizations. As of June 16, 2026, another 100 cases had already been recorded, affecting 170 media workers.
The report particularly highlights the sharp increase in attacks on journalists covering protests following the deadly collapse of the railway station canopy in Novi Sad in November 2024, an incident that triggered the largest demonstrations in Serbia’s modern history. It states that law enforcement authorities not only failed to protect journalists but that police officers themselves were responsible for attacks in at least 38 documented cases since 2025.
The crisis, however, extends beyond physical safety. Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) continue to pose a serious threat to public-interest reporting. According to data from the CASE Coalition, Serbia ranked third in Europe in 2025 for the number of SLAPP lawsuits. The report also notes that criminal defamation remains on the books, creating additional pressure on journalists.
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The report further warns of a severe blow to media pluralism. Majority state-owned Telekom Srbija continues expanding its media ownership, further strengthening pro-government narratives. Meanwhile, the Council of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) has been non-functional for more than 18 months, making Serbia the only EU candidate country without an operational media regulator. Coordinated bot attacks and the use of spyware, including Pegasus, are also cited as tools of digital censorship directed against journalists and newsrooms.
Although the Serbian government has launched several legislative initiatives, including plans to align domestic legislation with the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), many journalists and civil society organizations have withdrawn from the process, citing a lack of transparency, tight deadlines, and deep mistrust of the authorities’ genuine intentions. The EFJ concludes that the international community has a crucial role to play in protecting media freedom in Serbia and halting the country’s broader democratic backsliding.
The MFRR partners and the Council of Europe Platform have called on the Serbian authorities to immediately end inflammatory rhetoric targeting journalists, refrain from verbal, physical, and legal attacks against the media—including the misuse of SLAPP lawsuits—and introduce specialized training programs for police and judicial authorities to ensure the consistent implementation of journalist protection measures. At the same time, they urged the European Union to publicly and unequivocally condemn attacks on journalists and to make direct funding for Serbia conditional upon measurable improvements in journalists’ safety and compliance with media freedom standards.
The mission was coordinated and supported by numerous international organizations, including ARTICLE 19 Europe, the Association of European Journalists (AEJ), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT), Index on Censorship, and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Its local partner was the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS). During the mission, the delegation met with journalists, editors, media associations, civil society organizations, police representatives, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Public Prosecutor, and other stakeholders to formulate detailed recommendations for the Serbian Government, Parliament, police, and prosecution authorities.
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Source N1 Foto: ChatGPT promt by Serbian Times