Journalists Targeted in 79 Verbal Attacks in December

Cameramen (BETAPHOTO/ARMENIJA ZAJMI BESEVIC/EV)

In December 2025, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation recorded at least 79 instances of verbal attacks on journalists and media outlets in Serbia by 18 senior state officials and members of parliament in public appearances or social media posts, and by one ministry.

The foundation said in a press release on Jan. 12 that the previous five months had seen 673 verbal attacks on journalists and media outlets.

The statement noted that in December, the ruling majority representatives who most often targeted media outlets and media workers were Serbian Progressive Party MP Vladimir Djukanovic, who is an attorney, Nebojsa Bakarec, an MP from the same party, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

According to the statement, the media outlets that bore the brunt of the attacks and disparagement in December were N1 (22 instances), Nova TV (17 instances) and the KRIK investigative reporting website (eight instances).

"The purpose of the majority of the attacks was to discredit the professional autonomy of journalists and media outlets -- in 64 instances. Furthermore, journalists and media outlets critical of the regime were accused of crimes, targeted for personal traits, labelled as traitors and mercenaries, dehumanized and portrayed as proponents of fascism and nazism," the foundation said in the statement.