Nearly One Thousand Verbal Attacks on Journalists Since Beginning of Year

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In the first six months of this year 980 verbal attacks were registered on journalists by state officials, Serbian Progressive Party officials and other representatives of the government while 172 happened in June alone, the Slavko Curuvija Foundation announced on July 7.

A statement said that the attacks were sent via social media, during appearances in the media, at party rallies and sessions of Serbian parliament. The bulk of these attacks in June (32) were by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic for the second consecutive month. 

"The cause for most of the attacks in June were the actions of the Higher Public Prosecutor in Belgrade, which launched a preliminary investigation over 'reasonable doubt' that the 'use of a sonic cannon was simulated' at a protest on March 15, 2025 so as to 'accuse state bodies, spread panic among citizens and undermine the security of the state,'" the Foundation said.

After Vucic the most attacks came from Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic (23), Serbian Progressive Party leader Milos Vucevic (18), Serbian Progressive Party MPs Milenko Jovanov (17), Vladimir Djukanovic (12) and Nebojsa Bakarec (12).

"The Ministry of Information, the Higher Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade and 26 officials, including ministers of information Boris Bratina, interior affairs Ivica Dacic, culture Nikola Selakovic, finance Sinisa Mali, European integration Nemanja Starovic, public investment Darko Glisic, minister without portfolio Djordje Milicevic, Minister of Labor Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, Deputy Speaker Marina Ragus, Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Sapic, president and deputy president of the Vojvodina provincial government Maja Gojkovic and Sandra Bozic, Novi Sad Assembly Speaker Dina Vucinic, and other MPs, secretaries of state, city aldermen and Serbian Progressive Party officials," the article says.

The most frequently attacked outlets were N1, Nova S, Danas, Radar, Autonomija, Radio Free Europe, KRIK, BIRN, Vreme, Nedeljnik but also individual journalists.