The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) Europe-wide mechanism on Tuesday assessed that the victory of the Student List in Serbia’s parliamentary elections is an opportunity for thorough media reform but cautioned that the change of government must not lead to political retaliation against the media and journalists.
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A joint statement, published by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), noted that the success of these reforms will depend on the future government’s willingness to ensure accountability for past attacks on journalists, guarantee institutional independence, and provide lasting protection for media editorial autonomy.
“These problems cannot be resolved simply by replacing the political actors exercising influence over the media,” the MFRR stated.
They warned that Serbia needs safeguards that prevent any government from using regulatory powers, public funding, state-owned companies or media ownership structures to reward favorable coverage or punish critical journalism.
In 2026 alone, 157 attacks affecting 261 journalists and media outlets were documented ahead of the elections, following 209 incidents in 2025, the statement said.
MFRR noted that throughout the campaign, journalists faced threats, intimidation and obstruction while carrying out their work, and that further incidents were reported on election day.
Among the incidents cited were attacks on journalists Mihailo Stojkovic and Jelena Stojkovic at a polling station in Pavlovac, physical attacks targeting three Blokada Info journalists in Belgrade’s Bezanijska Kosa neighborhood, as well as a physical attack on a journalist and podcast host outside Pioneers’ Park in Belgrade.
Cases were also recorded where two Croatian journalists and a television crew from North Macedonia were denied entry into Serbia, alongside restrictions blocking journalists’ access to polling stations.
The MFRR also criticized the Serbian Progressive Party’s (SNS) decision to deny accreditation to N1, Nova, Danas and Radar journalists to cover election night at the SNS headquarters.
The MFRR partners also condemned the incidents that took place following the elections, when protesters entered the premises of Informer TV, confronted staff and interrupted its broadcast, while others also gathered outside Pink TV and the public broadcaster RTS.
They emphasized that intimidation of journalists and media workers is unacceptable regardless of their editorial positions and welcome the student movement’s calls for calm.
They expressed particular concern over pressure on the editorial independence of N1 and Nova, amid recent ownership and management changes involving the Portuguese Alpac group.
Notable examples included an offer to Nova.rs of temporary staff with previous affiliations to pro-government and pro-Kremlin media for a three-month period, and a reported 48-hour ultimatum to Nova.rs staff to accept new editorial leadership or leave, the statement said.
The MFRR added that Nova TV’s election-night broadcast was reportedly cut short following an intervention by Alpac representatives.
The MFRR partners called on the future Serbian government to ensure the independence of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) and public service media, especially of the public broadcaster RTS, which should serve the public interest and provide impartial, pluralistic and independent journalism.
They also pointed to the need to reform state advertising, increase media ownership transparency, and address the role of state-owned companies in the media market.
Furthermore, they urged the authorities to conduct independent investigations into all attacks on journalists, including unresolved cases from previous years, and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
The MFRR called on the European Union and its member states to make media freedom and pluralism a priority in their engagement with Serbia, and to translate the findings of international monitoring missions into concrete, measurable reform benchmarks.
“Reforms must not become instruments of political retaliation or allow existing structures of media capture to pass into different hands,” the MFRR partners warned.
The statement was signed by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), ARTICLE 19 Europe, the International Press Institute (IPI) and Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT).
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