Amid a systematic erosion of editorial independence by the government, stronger international support is needed to uphold media freedom in the country. An interview with Igor Božić, news director of the independent N1 TV
Chapter 22 on cohesion policy is one of the most complex negotiating chapters Serbia has to deal with for EU accession. In this interview, Dragana Djurica provides crucial insights into the critical role of civil society, the importance of regional development, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead
To contribute to the European Commission’s Rule of Law monitoring, OBCT, in partnership with SCiDEV and IJAS, produced two Shadow Reports outlining the challenges and gaps in media freedom in Albania and Serbia. The main findings were presented during a webinar
Conceived as an alternative to EU cooperation, the Open Balkan initiative, promoted by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, aimed to create a regional common market to allow the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The reasons for its failure
From being criticised for his unconventional wines to finding them in the cellars of top Michelin-starred restaurants, Oskar Maurer is a reference for natural wine production in Serbia. We spoke to him about his winemaking philosophy and much more
Climate change is affecting wine production around the world. Adaptation and resilience are the only answers to this ever-changing situation. Radovan Đorđević, owner of Vinarija Čokot, is facing this situation in the Serbian region of Župa
Media outlets in the country are increasingly exposed to cyber attacks, online threats and manipulations. We talked about digital security and its impact on independent journalism in Serbia with Bojan Perkov, digital policy coordinator at SHARE Foundation
Despite various reports of migration mismanagement and human rights abuses in Serbia, the European Commission at the end of June signed an agreement with Belgrade to strengthen cooperation on migration control
Are the Western Balkans becoming a mine of raw materials needed for the upcoming “green revolution”? Civil society organisations and many citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia answer resolutely: NO! The battle to protect the environment and health continues
Increasing political and financial pressure threatens the independence and editorial autonomy of many media outlets in Serbia. We interviewed Irina Milutinović, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of European Studies in Belgrade and co-author of the Country Report on Serbia of the Media Pluralism Monitor 2023
For the Serbian leadership, the recent adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Srebrenica was unnecessary, as the country has already tried those responsible for war crimes. A careful analysis, however, shows a very different reality
The defence of rivers and water: a highly symbolic struggle which in recent years has successfully mobilised very different layers of the societies of south-eastern Europe, bringing to light both potential and contradictions. An interview
Twenty-five years after the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija and nine after the start of the trial against the four accused of the murder, after a first conviction in 2019 and the repetition of the trial, on Monday 5 February the Court of Appeal of Belgrade acquitted the defendants
The management of European funds is an often complex task that requires specific administrative and technical-financial skills. For accession countries such as Serbia, preparation to the negotiation stage is key
Verbal attacks and serious threats against two journalists from independent broadcasters, the Cenzolovka portal and even an NGO and a Belgrade court judge raise concerns about the climate of increasingly heavy repression in Serbia
Near the Port of Belgrade, tucked away from the public eye, there is a large call center. From there, more than 100 people call citizens every day to ask them if they will vote for the Serbian Progressive Party in the upcoming elections. It is a well-organized group, and the way they work raises suspicions of vote buying and funding using "black money". Everything was witnessed first-hand by a CINS journalist who was briefly part of this group
Early political elections will be held in Serbia on December 17 for the fourth consecutive time. Since 2012, i.e. since the SNS party came to power and since Aleksandar Vučić became president, this will be the seventh time that Serbian citizens have been called to the polls
Serbia has not yet opened Chapter 22 of the EU accession negotiations on regional policy and coordination of structural instruments. For the European Commission, the lack of an institutional framework and administrative capacities in key institutions remains the main obstacle
A recent report by the Association of Independent Journalists of Serbia together with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network analyses the problems concerning the safety of journalists on the web, looking at the specific case of Serbia, and suggests how to make the editorial environment less dangerous
To eventually access the European Union, the Western Balkans have to align their legislation with EU law. This includes the Green Deal, which commits countries to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. However, there’s still quite a long way to go for the Western Balkans in their progress towards the green transition
Over the past ten years, more than 300 femicides have occurred in Serbia. The families of the murdered persons look for justice in court, but CINS’s investigation reveals that they often do not find it there.
In Serbia, local media play a central role in shaping the narrative of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We talked about it with Aleksandra Godfroid, journalist of the N1 TV network
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, a segment of Serbian society - traditionally pro-Russian - took to the streets to protest against the Kremlin. Among the first demonstrators there were many Russian citizens, including Sasha Seregina. We interviewed her
After the massacres of the recent weeks, street demonstrations continue against the government and above all the media, which according to critics have created a climate of intolerance and violence over the years
Serbia and Ukraine used to have close geopolitical positions, but such friendship has been jeopardised by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A study tries to take stock of the bilateral relations between Kyiv and Belgrade. We interviewed author Kateryna Shymkevych
In two days, Serbia witnessed two massacres in which 17 people died and several were injured, many of whom were minors. Unprecedented facts that have shocked the country so far. The news of the events and the behaviour of the media and politicians after the massacres
The allocation of national broadcasting frequencies in Serbia highlights the lack of transparency and pluralism in the sector. Frequencies are only awarded to government-friendly media. Concerns have been expressed by both the European Commission and the European Parliament
24 years after the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija, the perpetrators are still unpunished in Serbia. Although there is finally progress and hopefully the case will be finally solved, impunity remains widespread
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has navigated a delicate and increasingly uncomfortable balance between West and East. However, according to analyst Vuk Vuksanovic (Belgrade Centre for Security Policy), Serbian elites are mainly driven by their opportunism
Little or nothing is known about the impact and responsibility of 20 tonnes of ammonia leaking from a tank on a freight train in southeast Serbia, an accident that also claimed two lives. In Serbia, it remains hard for citizens to obtain information about these environmental disasters
