Democracy without journalists

The debate on freedom and independence of the media has been ongoing for twenty years in Serbia, and it is still unclear how this issue – crucial for democracy – will be resolved. Journalism in Serbia was under fierce attacks during the rule of Slobodan Milosevic, who was greatly assisted by Vojislav Seselj and Aleksandar Vucic, then minister of information. In accordance with the notorious Seselj's law, editorial offices were sued and forced to pay huge penalties, but they still managed to survive. During the chaos of war and manipulations that most of the media was engaged in, they were the harbingers of democracy and a model for a society that would emerge. They were not scared to submission by murders of journalists and attacks on them. After the appearance of the democratic regime, things have become less, instead of more clear. Not a single murder of journalists has been resolved, despite numerous promises made by high-positioned officials. Critical thinking is utterly undesirable. Politicians believe that it is logical and permissible to exert pressure on editors-in-chief, to sue journalists for libel (assisted in such attempts by courts), or to kick them or treat them with disdain without suffering any consequences. The most recent example of political violence against journalists is the removal from position of the editor-in-chief of the largest newspaper in Hungarian language because the main Hungarian political party did not like the fact that the newspaper had failed to report about each of its press conferences. The leader of the Serbian Progressive Party, Tomislav Nikolic, has revived the memory of the Rule of Milosevic and Seselj by stating that he intends to dismiss the director of the Radio-Television of Serbia (RTS), Aleksandar Tijanic, as soon as he wins election. Old ideas and practice are being restored, this way or another. Tijanic himself is a good servant to the power, especially the one that is similar to him. For this reason, he had a deep hatred of Zoran Djindjic and we should remember his words about the former prime minister: "if he survives, Serbia will not". Tijanic flattered Slobodan Milosevic by calling him a "tiger" with the aim to present him to the nation as a powerful figure. He was also the minister of information during the age of darkness, when he publicly stated that he had no idea that more than a thousand journalists, engineers and technicians had been dismissed from the RTS.

Foreign donors have retreated from Serbia, believing that democracy and free market have arrived in the country. But their position was taken by tycoons and businessmen with ties to politicians and criminal structures. They rule the media today, while their political and economic interests constitute the only criteria of journalism. The symbiosis between politicians and business interests is evident in the case of the Republika newspaper. A year ago, its editorial office was raided by police, allegedly because of two advertisements by Jugoremedija, but the raid was actually an attempt to threaten the newspaper and small shareholders of Jugoremedija, whose fight against its "owner and controversial businessman" the newspaper had supported for seven years.

This case clearly demonstrates how political and business interests can destroy what people have created by their own work, whether in the media scene or in wider economy.

The annual assembly of the International Federation of Journalists in Belgrade has emphasized two problems in the media scene: political pressure and violence against the media. Such a list reminds us of communist dictatorships, not a country that intends to join the EU. Our politicians like to point out that Serbia is a democratic country, but the situation in the media proves them wrong. Politicians do not see the media as a public good, but as something that belongs to them and their political parties. At the moment, there is no indication that the political structure is interested in making the media independent from certain political and financial influence. In this sense, the address of the President of Serbia, Boris Tadic, to the participants from the International Federation of Journalists that was focused on journalistic ethics and professionalism has no firm basis in practice.

Olivija Rusovac

About the authors

MC Newsletter, July 29, 2011