Editor-in-chief of the Kragujevac-based portal Glas Sumadije Jovanka Nikolic says the authorities have created a climate in which independent media are openly branded as “enemies.”
“The regime treats independent media outlets as enemies, and that is exactly why our journalists are being assaulted… On the other hand, citizens trust us, we have their confidence,” Nikolic said at an Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) panel discussion titled “Media: Caught Between Regime Attacks and Public Trust.”
Nikolic told the audience that when she watches footage from Novi Sad, it feels as is the city is “at war.” Turning to local journalists in the room, she said: “I genuinely fear for your lives sometimes.”
Beta and Autonomija journalist Darko Stupar brought a helmet, a gas mask, and a bulletproof vest to the panel discussion to illustrate the gear journalists in Novi Sad now need when reporting on protests.
“It’s not funny at all, it shows what kind of situation we are in. And we are seeing more and more people wearing helmets, too,” he noted.
Lawyer Veljko Milic said the police often use excessive force and that, instead of protecting journalists, they prevent them from doing their job.
Autonomija editor-in-chief Branka Dragovic said “the regime is unleashing its worst violence in Novi Sad because it sees the city as the epicenter of resistance.” In her view, if the authorities manage to crush the protests in Vojvodina’s capital, they believe they can stifle dissent across the entire country.
The Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina is organizing a series of discussions on the safety of journalists in Vojvodina and throughout Serbia, aimed at highlighting the alarming threats they face, building solidarity, and pushing for stronger protection mechanisms. The project is supported by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB).
Source: N1
