Journalists, media staff and members of the general public gathered outside the Nova.rs newsroom in Belgrade on Wednesday to protest against the appointment of a new editor-in-chief and an ultimatum giving staff less than 48 hours to accept the new management or leave with severance pay.
The portal's journalists almost unanimously rejected the offer, saying they want to continue reporting freely and in the public interest. The management of Adria News Network, owned by Alpac Capital, confirmed the appointment of Marko Stjepanovic as editor-in-chief and offered employees who do not wish to work under the new leadership a severance package described as twice the statutory minimum.
Nova.rs deputy editor-in-chief Ratko Femic said Serbia must not enter election night with another media outlet silenced. He described the management's move as an attempt to destroy the newsroom and suppress resistance to editorial control, adding that journalists would consult lawyers and take steps to protect their professional rights and the outlet's editorial independence.
The protest comes less than two weeks before Serbia's October 25 elections.