The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) expresses deep concern over the decision of the new management of N1 television to remove long-time director Igor Božić from his position, bar him from performing editorial and managerial duties, and effectively push him out of the newsroom.
Božić was informed that he had been dismissed from the position of director, that his current status in the company is “employed, but unassigned,” and that he had been advised to work from home until further notice. At the same time, the new management is reviewing his previous employment contracts and has yet to decide what position, if any, will be offered to him. Such treatment further deepens concerns not only about his professional status, but also about the future of this media outlet’s editorial independence.
IJAS believes that this move cannot be viewed as an isolated personnel change, but rather as a serious signal that a broader process of dismissals, pressure, and restructuring is unfolding within Adria News Network, with potentially far-reaching consequences for independent journalism in Serbia. It is particularly worrying that employees themselves have publicly warned that they see Igor Božić’s removal as the beginning of a process that could endanger the organization of work, open the door to further staffing interventions, and directly affect editorial independence.
Employees have requested an urgent meeting with management and written guarantees that there is no plan to reduce the number of staff or undermine the existing editorial independence. They also noted that no one from management had officially addressed them and that they had learned about all the changes from other media outlets.
These developments cannot be viewed outside the broader context of the previously published conversation between representatives of the state-owned company Telekom Srbija and United Group, in which information was mentioned that seriously points to the possibility of a coordinated strategy aimed at weakening and neutralizing the editorial independence of certain media outlets.
IJAS warns that any further erosion of the editorial autonomy of N1 and other independent media would constitute a serious blow to citizens’ right to timely, accurate, and pluralistic information. At a time of deep political and social crisis, pressure on independent media is not only a problem for the journalism profession, but also a direct threat to the democratic order and the public interest.
We therefore call on the international public, journalists’ and media organizations, as well as all relevant institutions, to react urgently and use all available mechanisms to prevent the further deterioration of media freedom and democracy in Serbia. Silence and the absence of a decisive response at this moment would only further encourage the processes of media capture and the suppression of critical voices.
IJAS will continue to closely monitor developments and inform both the domestic and international public of all actions that threaten the independence of the media in Serbia.
Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia
Belgrade, April 7, 2026
