European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) General Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez characterized the “brutal takeover of Nova.rs” as the latest episode in an ongoing wave of repression in Serbia. He emphasized that the EFJ stands in full solidarity with the Nova.rs newsroom.
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“I know what a lie looks like. I saw it in the eyes of the Serbian government delegate yesterday at the OSCE ‘Human Dimension’ Conference in Warsaw. She had the audacity to claim that Serbia was a European model when it came to promoting press freedom!!! I have never heard a worse lie,” Gutierrez wrote in a post on Facebook.
He emphasized that Serbia is undoubtedly the country that has seen the greatest decline in press freedom in recent months in Europe.
“The brutal takeover of Nova.rs, an independent media outlet with a large audience, is the latest episode in this wave of repression. The hasty appointment of the propagandist Marko Stjepanovic as editor-in-chief of Nova.rs has been imposed in a climate of terror: any journalist who opposes it is being told to leave the newsroom within 48 hours,” the EFJ general secretary noted.
He described these methods as “fascist,” stressing that they speak volumes about the nature of the Serbian regime.
“My heart goes out to the journalists at Nova.rs. I salute the courage of Natasa Korlat and all the journalists at Nova who are fighting to safeguard the right of Serbian citizens to access free, independent and credible information. Full support to them from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ),” Gutierrez said.
Board of Directors gives Nova journalists 48 hours to state their positions
On Tuesday evening, the company’s Board of Directors issued a statement calling on journalists at Nova.rs to remain with the company pledged support for independent and critical journalism, while confirming the appointment of Marko Stjepanovic as editor-in-chief.
Addressing the newsroom regarding the leadership shake-up, the Board of Directors outlined what it described as a constructive path forward: continued collaboration under the new editor’s leadership, paired with an enhanced severance package for journalists who choose to resign.
Among other details, the Board of Directors noted that the departure package was being presented as “an option for journalists who may not wish to continue working under the new management.” According to the announced terms, journalists who opt to leave would receive a payout described by the board as double the legal minimum severance in Serbia. However, they were given a strict 48-hour deadline to make their decision.
The statement also addressed the ongoing dispute with the newsroom. The Board of Directors claimed that coverage regarding the company’s shareholder had been mostly negative and one-sided, questioned the accuracy of certain reports, and criticized what it called the selective leaking of information from an internal meeting. These assertions were made directly by the Board of Directors, and no independent verification was provided in the address.
Femic: This isn’t dialogue – it’s an attempt to break the newsroom
“It is cynical that the owners invoke European standards of media freedom in their letter while practically telling journalists they have two days to accept this forced leadership or get out. This isn’t dialogue. This is an attempt to break the newsroom and crush any resistance to editorial control,” Ratko Femic, the deputy editor-in-chief of the Nova.rs portal, told N1.
Femic views the decision to appoint Marko Stjepanovic - combined with the ultimatum giving employees less than 48 hours to decide whether to walk away - as “blatant pressure on the newsroom and an attempt to whip it into line just ahead of the October 25 elections.”
He added that the staff will consult with legal counsel and take all necessary lawful measures to protect their professional and labor rights, as well as the editorial independence of Nova.rs.
Stjepanovic: The offer is fair, the deadline is reasonable
“I think the offer is fair and the deadline is reasonable. This change in ownership didn’t happen overnight, and I believe the vast majority of colleagues in the Nova.rs newsroom have already formed an opinion on whether they want to continue working under the new management,” newly appointed Nova.rs editor-in-chief Marko Stjepanovic told N1.
When asked how he would keep the portal running if a significant number of journalists chose to leave, Stjepanovic responded:
“I have spent almost my entire editorial career working for Swiss and German media outlets, where the newsrooms I managed operated efficiently and strictly within market realities, yet still delivered top-tier results. It will be no different this time. We might not publish a massive volume of articles at first, but everything we do put out will have to be accurate, fair, and professional.”
Teme