The first webinar on the fight against impunity for crimes against journalists in Serbia was held yesterday, organized by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS). The webinar was attended by journalists from Serbia, as well as representatives of domestic and international journalistic associations.
At the beginning of the webinar, Ivana Stevanović, executive director of the “Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation”, spoke about the final verdict for the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija.
Veran Matić introduced the representatives of international organizations with the work of the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists. He also spoke about the current situation when it comes to the safety of journalists in Serbia. He mentioned recent cases in which journalists Verica Marinčić, Ksenija Pavkov and Ana Lalić were attacked.
The webinar was also attended by Ana Lalić, against whom an orchestrated campaign has been conducted for the last ten days. She spoke about the threats and pressures she faces. She said she doesn’t feel safe and is considering moving to another state with her family.
The situation regarding the safety of journalists in Serbia has escalated so much that announcements and open letters to domestic and international institutions are not enough, concrete action is needed, the webinar participants concluded.
They agreed that it is necessary to exert concrete international pressure on the authorities and institutions in Serbia in order to ensure a safer environment for the work of journalists.
The President of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Maja Sever, participated and voiced her support for journalists in Serbia.