The President of the European Federation of Journalists, Maja Sever, met with the Minister of Information of Serbia Dejan Ristic, at the end of last week in Zagreb. As the Ministry stated in a statement, the meeting discussed, among other things, the situation on the international media scene and challenges in the field of public information, the issue of journalists’ safety and the improvement of the legislative framework.
Maja Sever said that at the meeting initiated by Minister Ristić, she asked a number of specific questions related to media policies and the safety of journalists in Serbia.
“I warned about the problem of reducing project co-financing: compared to last year, the budget at all three levels of government was reduced by around 7 million euros.
Regardless of the election system of members of commissions for the allocation of funds, our impression is that the commissions are still filled with people who distribute money along party lines”, said president of the European Federation of Journalists.
She also noticed that the government has found a way to finance tabloids like “Informer” and that the system of proceedings against the media for breaking the law does not work.
She also emphasized that the issue of safety of journalists is still burning and that impunity is high.
Maja Sever pointed out to Minister Ristic that, although the number of recorded pressures on the media and journalists is lower, the number of threats and physical attacks is already at the same level as last year.
“I raised the issue of the attack on Vuk Cvijic and the fact that the prosecution has been waiting for three months for the medical report to be submitted and that this is an indicator that the system does not work and how dangerous it is in a country where the system failed to protect Slavko Ćuruvija, I also reminded to the problem that the man accused of threatening Ana Lalic escaped. I expressed my full support for journalist Tamara Skrozza. Once again, she requested that the journalist Gnjot not be extradited to Belarus”, she recounted.
She also says that she mentioned the organized campaign of SLAPP lawsuits against KRIK and the Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation.
When it comes to the application of the new media laws in Serbia, she said that she thinks they are terrible.
“The Action Plan for implementing the Media Strategy has been delayed for a year and a half. The Minister stated that he is trying to speed up the implementation and that Action Plan is up to the Government”, stated Maja Sever for Independent Journalists’ Association od Serbia.