Ratko Femic, deputy editor-in-chief of the Nova.rs news portal, said the company's Board of Directors was trying to break the newsroom rather than engage in dialogue after confirming Marko Stjepanovic's appointment as editor-in-chief and giving employees less than 48 hours to decide whether to leave the company.
Oglas
“How is it possible for N1 to report the appointment of a new editor-in-chief of Nova.rs before the newsroom concerned has even received official notification?” Femic asked, saying the official email arrived only after N1 published the announcement.
He described the appointment and the deadline as direct pressure on the newsroom ahead of the October 25 elections. He said the board had ignored the clear wishes of the overwhelming majority of employees.
Femic said the newsroom would consult lawyers and take legal and other legitimate measures to protect its employment rights, professional standards and editorial independence. He added that the staff would inform domestic and international media freedom organizations about what he called an attempt to bring an independent outlet under political control.
“The new owners have bought the company, but they have not bought our professional principles, our integrity or our right to report freely,” Femic said.
Teme