The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) expresses grave concern over the warning received by Ljiljana Stojanović, Editor-in-Chief of the Regional News Agency JUGpress, from individuals allegedly connected to security structures. As Stojanović shared on social media, she was warned that a “set-up is being prepared” against her and that she should “be careful,” which raised serious concerns for her personal safety, as well as the safety of her editorial team and family.
“This is not an open threat, but in the current context and at this moment, it cannot be dismissed as nothing. Especially because I really don’t know what it refers to or what we can expect,” Stojanović told IJAS.
Although the message was not a direct threat, IJAS reminds that in the current socio-political climate, such communications represent a serious form of pressure—particularly when they come from structures that are supposed to guarantee citizens’ safety.
Ljiljana Stojanović and the JUGpress editorial team have for years faced various forms of pressure, including threats, intimidation, smear campaigns by pro-government tabloids, SLAPP lawsuits, as well as financial and institutional discrimination.
It is especially troubling that all previous reports filed in response to threats have been dismissed with the justification that they do not constitute “direct threats,” effectively undermining the journalist protection system.
The latest threats followed JUGpress’s coverage, at the end of last year, of protests and school blockades by high school students in Leskovac. Only recently did the Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime take over the case.
We remind that the police previously conducted a security assessment of Ljiljana Stojanović and her family while she was reporting on events in Vranje surrounding the arrest of Dejan Nikolić Kantar.
Last year, pro-government media launched a smear campaign against Stojanović after she posed a question at a press conference to Minister Milica Đurđević Stamenkovski, with Minister of Economy Adrijana Mesarović joining in the targeting.
JUGpress has also been the target of SLAPP lawsuits filed by Millennium Team, a company engaged in some of the most valuable state projects.
In addition, the editorial office is subjected to discrimination by the local government in Leskovac—receiving only minimal support through public funding competitions, and not even being invited to press conferences or informed about public events organized by local authorities. The financial pressure has become so intense that JUGpress staff have had to register with the unemployment office.
IJAS demands that the relevant institutions thoroughly investigate all allegations and provide protection for Ljiljana Stojanović and the JUGpress editorial team. Such actions foster an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. We call on the Ministry of Interior and other security agencies to do their jobs in accordance with the law—to protect journalists and media professionals, rather than further jeopardize their safety and create a sense of vulnerability.
We also call on Leskovac Mayor Goran Cvetanović and other local officials to immediately cease discriminatory treatment of JUGpress, ensure equal access to information for all media, and provide fair distribution of public funds intended to support the media. Public money must not be a tool for political punishment and control—it must serve the public interest.
IJAS once again reminds that a safe environment for journalists is a cornerstone of democracy, and that all attacks on journalists—whether overt or covert—are attacks on the public’s right to know.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, Jul 9, 2025
