UK Envoy for the Western Balkans: Attacks on Independent Media in Serbia Unacceptable

Karen Pierce (Photo: Print Screen x.com)

UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Karen Pierce said during a June 6 visit to Zagreb that attacks on independent journalists in Serbia were unacceptable and not in line with the country’s ambition to join the European Union (EU).

In an interview with the N1 regional broadcaster, Pierce said that the United Kingdom called on all political leaders in the Western Balkans to treat free and independent media as essential to the reforms they had to implement in order to modernize and join the EU.

“I believe that all attacks on independent journalists are unacceptable. Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the situation of your N1 colleagues, but attacks on independent journalists are unacceptable. This is not in line with Serbia’s aspirations to join the EU. We have said this to the U.N. Security Council, in Europe, NATO, and elsewhere,” said Pierce.

The UK envoy added that she did not wish to comment on the protests or interfere in Serbia’s internal politics, but stressed the importance of allowing demonstrations to take place as long as they were non-violent. “I would say, however, that there is a need for reforms in many of these countries regarding how they are governed and the nature of their democracies, and certainly in terms of free and independent media. It is crucial - not only because of Russian disinformation - that journalists in the region can report freely and impartially without any interference,” Pierce added.