The Gecic Law firm recently sent a letter addressed to six editors and directors of United Media outlets, an action that has now prompted a response from the Council of Europe.
The Gecic Law firm sent a formal warning to the editors of N1, Nova, Danas, and other independent newsrooms in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, demanding the removal of dozens of investigative articles and threatening lawsuits, court injunctions, and claims for financial damages.
In the letter dated January 13, 2026, the firm claims that the reporting is “defamatory” and demands that we cease further coverage, remove published articles, issue apologies and corrections, and preserve and hand over journalists’ notes and documents as well as records of their communication with sources.
This followed N1’s reporting on an alleged conflict of interest involving Gecic Law, the Council of Europe said.
In the letter, Gecic Law stated that N1 Serbia’s reporting, particularly articles published between 9 and 13 January 2026, alleged or insinuated that the firm and its lawyers had engaged in “unlawful or unethical conduct, conflicts of interest, political collusion, and misuse of confidential information”. Gecic Law also accused an N1 reporter of publishing “further accusations” without allowing sufficient time for the firm to respond and, as it claimed, without a substantiated factual basis, the Council of Europe recalled.
In its letter, the law firm announced legal action, court injunctions and financial claims if its demands were not met. The letter was also sent to outlets that had republished the disputed articles, and copied to Zeljko Bodrozic, president of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS).
The Council of Europe said N1 Serbia told the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) that its reporter had contacted Gecic Law to request an interview. It noted that, according to N1, the firm responded to one question, denying any conflict of interest, and stated that they would answer the remaining questions within 48 hours.
N1 published the letter in full “so that the public can see how legal pressure is being used against independent journalism in the context of reporting on Telekom Srbija, United Group, and the law firm representing both sides,” the Council of Europe said.
“The letter comes amid growing uncertainty surrounding Serbian broadcasters following United Group’s recent management takeover and the leak of a recorded conversation between Stan Miller, the CEO of United Group, and Vladimir Lucic, the CEO of Telekom Srbija, on how to weaken the editorial independence of N1 Serbia,” the Council of Europe stated.
Source: N1
