Reporters Without Borders (RSF) official Pavol Szalai warned that Serbia is entering the final phase of media capture.
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Szalai, head of the RSF Prague office, told Agence France-Presse that critical voices were being pushed out of mainstream media while pro-government coverage was expanding across TV and tabloids. He said Serbia was the only country in the European Union-Balkans region from which journalists had been forced into exile over their work .
He cited the case of journalist and defence analyst Aleksandar Radic, who left Serbia in June after police questioned him, searched his home and office, and accused him of preparing an assault on constitutional order. Radic said he feared imprisonment over his reporting on the alleged use of a sound cannon against protesters, which Serbian authorities deny.
Szalai also criticised changes in the management of media outlets owned by Adria News Network following its acquisition by Portugal's Alpac Capital. He said changing newsroom leadership weeks before an election was inconsistent with European standards and risked depriving voters of independent reporting.
According to RSF's 2026 World Press Freedom Index, Serbia ranked 104th out of 180 countries, last among 40 countries in the EU-Balkans region.
Teme