International Media Organizations Warn of Low Press Freedom in Serbia

Cameramen (BETAPHOTO/ARMENIJA ZAJMI BESEVIC/EV)

Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated on May 3, several international media organizations have drawn attention to the low media freedom and poor conditions for the safety of journalists in Serbia, and called on the European Union to set press freedom as a priority within the areas of rule of law and democracy in Serbia’s accession process.

The International Press Institute (IPI), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), among others, warned that Serbia “continues to be held back in its commitments to improve media freedom as part of the EU accession process” and stressed that “this status quo must not continue.”

According to the April 26 press releases, it is vitally important that the international community recognize the severity of the crisis faced by independent journalism in Serbia. The joint statement was signed and published by the IPI, the EFJ, RSF, the IFJ, ARTICLE 19 Europe, the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) and The Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation.

The signatories concluded that “international pressure will be central to enacting positive change” and calling on “EU leaders and officials to urgently raise the issue of pressure on journalists by high-ranking politicians during meetings with Serbian officials.”

“Future progress reports on EU accession should fully reflect the seriousness of the situation and outline for meaningful reforms,” the statement maintains, while urging UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan to “be forceful” in her upcoming assessment of Serbia and demanding that “international bodies such as the OSCE and the Council of Europe” continue to address the issue of press freedom in Serbia “head on.”