After the resolution of the European Parliament, the report of the European Commission and Reporters without Borders, not even Freedom House has a much better opinion of Serbia. For Vučić it is “stupidity”
The series of critical reports of international organizations and institutions about Serbia continues.
Later on Reporters Without Borders, of the European Parliament i of the European Commission, a new report was published by Freedom house.
In the report on Internet freedom of this Washington-based organization, Serbia is no longer a free country, as assessed last year, but is partially free.
Truth be told, and last year it was on the verge of slipping into partial freedom – only one point separated her from that. At that time, the freedom of the Internet in Serbia was rated with 70 out of 100 points, and this year it received three points less.
With 67 out of 100 points, Serbia ranks among partially free countries when it comes to internet freedom.
The reason: The government’s response to the protests
The government’s response to months-long protests led by students led to the change in status, i.e. the reduction of Internet freedom in Serbia, Freedom House states in the report.
Because when people took to the streets after the deadly canopy collapse, authorities arrested individuals who supported the protests on social media and used “Celebrite” technology to search the phones of journalists and activists.
Social media users, including students, were arrested for content related to the demonstrations.
Freedom House also looked at journalists working for online media who tried to report from the protests – they faced increased violence and harassment both online and live, says the report covering the period from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025.
Spyware surveillance of activists and journalists continued, and media outlets faced numerous strategic anti-public participation (SLAPP) lawsuits.
One in a series of critical reports
The Freedom House report follows on from earlier assessments by other international organizations and institutions that warn about the situation in Serbia.
At the end of October, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announced that media freedom in Serbia is under threat, and that after the tragedy in Novi Sad, a record number of attacks on journalists has been recorded.
This organization honored the journalists in Serbia who “heroically report on the protests despite the institutionalized violence of the regime of President Aleksandar Vučić.”
“The freedom of the media in Serbia is threatened, as is our right to be informed about the events in this country, which is a candidate for membership in the European Union (EU),” said Pavol Salaj from RSF.
Out of a total of 180 countries and territories in the RSF World Media Freedom Index for 2025, Serbia ranks 96th.
Reporters Without Borders also presented a list of 34 “predators of media freedom” who threatened journalists and the right to information during 2025. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić was also on that list.
Vučić: Stupid arguments of Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, recently commented on the report of the European Commission and wondered how Serbia has regressed when it comes to media freedom.
“I don’t really know what we did. Someone has to explain to me, except that he will tell me that he is referring to Reporters Without Borders or Freedom House or I don’t know which branch, since I can’t accept that nonsense as an argument,” Vučić said, among other things, at a press conference in Brussels.
Although Vučić calls them nonsense, the reports of Reporters Without Borders and Freedom House have an impact on global decision makers.
Both organizations have significant reputations and influence the international perception of the rule of law, so their reports are never just “paper”, but part of wider political and diplomatic pressure.
RSF is one of the three most relevant world organizations for evaluating media freedom. Countries ranked poorly in the RSF index are often perceived as riskier for investment.
On the other hand, Freedom House is the most cited global index of democracy in the world – in academic circles, diplomacy and the media.
The reports of this organization often have an indirect influence on the attitudes of the US Congress, the State Department and other institutions, and countries with poor ratings sometimes receive less political and financial support.
Source: Vreme
