Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) considers the announcement of the City Committee of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Vranje, in which the local portal Vranjenews is labeled as terrorist and traitorous, inadmissible.
In the statement, religious, national and racial intolerance is spread with inappropriate rhetoric, and the Vranjenews portal is accused of media which works for “terrorist and war criminal Albin Kurti” who justifies the “killers of Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija”. The reason for this announcement is the text published on the website vranjenews.rs under the title “Kurti published the list of seized weapons, vehicles and money near Banjska”.
IJAS strongly condemns the rhetoric of the ruling party and considers it unacceptable, because this type of verbal attack on the media directly threatens the safety of journalists and makes them targets for further attacks, since the hostile atmosphere towards journalists and the media is also transmitted to citizens.
Of particular concern is the fact that this is not the first announcement of this kind by the SNS board in Vranje, and that similar language was used. IJAS also reacted then.
IJAS calls on the Serbian Progressive Party to condemn the announcement of its City Committee from Vranje and distance itself from this type of communication, and City Committee SNS Vranje to publicly apologize and refrain from further spreading the network.
IJAS,
27.09.2023.