Today United Group, in a statement that was not delivered to N1, publicly rejected claims that it is undermining the editorial independence of N1 and Nova in Serbia, and emphasized that it “has no plans to sell” and that editorial decisions rest solely with the newsrooms. At the same time, the statement (which we reproduce in full below) shifts the focus to alleged actions of the group’s previous management and to shareholder disputes. In doing so, it relativizes our earlier questions.
Following the change in management, we repeatedly requested written guarantees and confirmation that there is-and will be-no political influence over staffing and editorial decisions, along with a clear position on the content of the publicly released audio conversation between United Group CEO Stan Miller and Telekom Srbija director Vladimir Lučić.
Instead of concrete answers, today’s statement informed us that two international consultants were engaged “to strengthen independence” in early July. Not once were their names, roles, or the purpose of their engagement provided. Given the published conversation between the UG director and the Telekom Srbija director, keeping this information secret raises serious doubts about the intentions behind their engagement.
N1 Serbia expects United Group to guarantee:
A multi-year, stable framework to finance the newsroom and production;
No interference in editorial or staffing decisions;
Secured distribution accessible to audiences in Serbia and the region, free of political pressure.
Such guarantees are standard safeguards in sensitive media environments—and an expectation of our teams and viewers.
The previous UG management, in the event of a TV distribution cut under external pressure, presented N1 editors with a model for transitioning to internet television, backed by multi-year financial security for the entire team and production—€12 million annually for N1 and Nova over a period of 10 years. At that time, the previous UG leadership assured us there was never any discussion of selling our television channels to Telekom or third parties. We ask the new management to confirm the continuity of that model and translate it into a contractual-financial plan, without encroaching on editorial policy.
Our obligation to the public is clear: professional and free reporting. We will always discuss this openly, but we will not allow our work to be used in ownership or political score-settling.
United Group’s Statement Not Delivered to N1
Below is the UG statement our newsroom did not receive, but which was published by Tanjug and other pro-government media in Serbia.
“United Group rejects false and misleading claims that the Group seeks to limit or in any way endanger the editorial independence of the N1 and Nova channels in Serbia, or to sell them to Telekom Srbija or entities connected with the Serbian state. These claims are false.
The news businesses of United Group operate with a clear separation between commercial management and editorial decision-making, and the company draws a clear distinction between editorial and executive staff.
Independence in reporting is sacrosanct for the current management and the majority shareholder, BC Partners, and will never be subject to political interference or considerations.
United Group is a commercial enterprise focused on creating value within its portfolio through sound and ethical business decisions.
Editorial decisions for N1 and Nova are made by the editorial teams, not by United Group management, and there has been no interference by the current management. This is clearly demonstrated by the recent coverage of N1 and Nova, which proceeds unhindered in a fully independent manner.
What role the previous management played in influencing editorial decisions and content in line with their own agendas remains an open question.
Telekom Srbija has raised certain complaints about the conduct of Aleksandra Subotić, who is not part of the editorial staff of any United Group news outlet. These complaints are being investigated in line with our rules and procedures.
United Group and the majority shareholder, BC Partners, are working on a model that will further ensure and strengthen the editorial independence of N1 and Nova.
Measures under consideration include strengthening editorial charters, non-interference undertakings, independence oversight at the channel level, and establishing an external ombudsman function. In early July, two leading international consultants were engaged to support this process.
The goal is to ensure that editorial independence remains strong and protected from non-business and political influences.
The Group’s current management has never had plans to sell its news channels to Telekom Srbija or any other state structure. The only discussions about a potential sale of N1 and Nova took place under the previous management.
Such a sale is in no way aligned with the Group’s priority—protecting independence—while simultaneously strengthening the resilience, efficiency, and performance of portfolio companies.
Some of the recent speculation about the operation of news channels in Serbia is intertwined with the current shareholder dispute. Any claims that discussions about restructuring the news channels or selling Serbian businesses originated from the current management are false and deliberately misleading.
Documented correspondence from January 2025 shows that the Group’s founder and minority shareholder, Dragan Šolak, through his long-time associate Vladislav Ratajac, approached Telekom Srbija with proposals to:
• remove N1 and Nova from television in Serbia in exchange for a one-time payment of around €120 million. The channels would be removed from cable/satellite packages and would continue only via the internet;
• sell the news channels in Serbia to a third party;
• sell other parts of the business in Serbia to Telekom Srbija, such as Shoppster and D Express.
In addition, Šolak requested from Summer Parent, the parent company of United Group, a bonus of €200 million for allegedly brokering the sale of United Group’s business in Serbia.
The editors of N1 and Nova, it appears, were not informed of these moves.
The actions of Šolak and Ratajac were not adopted and do not represent the current management’s strategy for the news business in Serbia.
Claims that the new management wants to ‘weaken’ independent news channels in Serbia are false. The very actions that Šolak and Ratajac now ascribe to the Group—and that are being reported in the media—are in fact those they themselves conceived and initiated earlier this year.
Editorial independence is inviolable. Decisions are made by the newsrooms. The current management and majority shareholder BC Partners have not interfered with the content of their media.
The current management has never had plans to sell N1 or Nova to Telekom Srbija, nor to anyone else—unlike Šolak and his associates.
Any different claim or reporting is simply untrue. The question is: for what purpose, for what reason, and in whose interest is this narrative being disseminated today? The company will not be drawn into politics or Šolak’s personal agendas. The company’s focus is on running the business with operational discipline, strong governance, and clear accountability.
The current management and majority shareholder have zero tolerance for interference in editorial independence, political pressure, threats of violence toward journalists, or any of the 14,000 employees, about 4,000 of whom work within United Media, and around 370 in newsrooms. First-half 2025 results confirm strong portfolio performance: revenue up 5%, EBITDA almost 7%, with strong cash conversion.”
United Group is the leading telecommunications and media company in Southeast Europe, with annual revenue of €2.7 billion and EBITDA of around €1 billion.
Summer Parent Sàrl, the ultimate parent company of United Group, decided on June 16, 2025 to appoint new management to create additional value, strong corporate governance, and operational focus across the portfolio. The leadership change was carried out after the sale of the largest part of United Group’s business in Serbia and ahead of a potential sale of operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The portfolio includes companies in Slovenia, Montenegro, Croatia, Greece, and Bulgaria, with Greece and Bulgaria accounting for about 70% of the Group’s EBITDA. Streamlining operations enables a focus on telecommunications, media, technology, and cloud services in key EU markets.
Note: This UG statement came nearly a month after the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) published an audio recording of a phone call between United Group (UG) CEO Stan Miller and Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lučić, in which they discussed, among other things, the removal of United Media CEO Aleksandra Subotić. According to the leaked audio, the two directors discussed strategies to weaken a broadcaster that provided space for opposition voices amid mass protests against the Serbian government. In the recording, Miller is heard saying: “Vlado, I don’t know what you’ve been promised, but when I promise, I deliver. I am a man of my word. The problem is that things are happening too fast in many ways, including things in Serbia, where I have less influence than what we discussed when we met in Belgrade. I cannot fire Aleksandra today, as we discussed. I have to make the company in Serbia very small, if you understand what I’m telling you. Break it up. That takes time, and I think we understand each other there. We need to reach the banks, so we can act quickly. I understand the President has called you and is very upset, I understand that, but I have to find the time to do this fast, fast. I don’t know what Niko, or someone else promised you, but I will do everything to help you.”
Source: N1
