Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic recently targeted Lidija Georgiev, a journalist from Serbian public broadcaster RTS, following her coverage of the student protests in Nis. The protests, which saw thousands of people expressing solidarity for the 15 victims of a tragic accident in Novi Sad, were met with Vucic's offensive remarks. The president referred to Georgiev as an "imbecile" for her reporting on the protests.

In response to backlash from the RTS Program Council and various trade unions, Vucic issued an apology, acknowledging that, as a head of state, he had no right to call any citizen such derogatory names. However, Vucic continued to criticize Georgiev, claiming that she was not impartial and instead acted like a "political activist," tarnishing the integrity of her profession.

The apology was not well received by 46 journalists from Nis, working across Serbian and regional media outlets. They announced that they would suspend their coverage of any events related to the Serbian president until a more sincere apology was issued. In Nis, journalists organized protests, carrying placards with slogans such as "I am not a foreign agent" and "I am not a color revolution."

The Independent Association of Journalists in Serbia (NUNS) also condemned the president's remarks and voiced strong support for Georgiev. Protests erupted not only in Nis but also in Tsaribrod, Georgiev's hometown, where local teachers joined the demonstrations. Protestors accused the Serbian president of targeting journalists who oppose the regime, drawing comparisons to past incidents of journalist intimidation.

Supporters of Georgiev also recalled past attacks on journalists in the region, such as the 2019 spying incident involving Slavi Milanov and the 2017 arson attack on Milan Jovanovic’s house. These incidents highlighted the broader pattern of hostility towards journalists critical of the government. Local analysts noted that under Vucic’s rule, journalists from regional and local media outlets, particularly those from N1 and Nova S, have faced growing pressure and accusations from the government, which has been linked to efforts to suppress critical reporting.

Source: BNT