Troll of the Month: Serbian Tabloids

The Balkan Troll of the Month is an individual, a group of individuals or a media outlet that spreads hate based on gender, ethnicity, religion, or other diversity categories. The Balkan Troll is selected based on hate speech incidents identified across the Western Balkans region.

Three months ago, a concrete canopy collapsed at the main train station in Novi Sad, Serbia, killing fifteen people and severely injuring two. This tragedy ignited widespread public outrage, due to corruption and negligence in the station’s construction, primarily driven by students from universities across the country who blocked almost all state universities for over a month.  

The protests, which began in Novi Sad, quickly spread to other cities, smaller towns, and villages. Demonstrators demanded political and legal accountability of public officials and transparency in the investigation process on the canopy collapse. Furthermore, the protesters demanded the publication of all documentation related to the station’s reconstruction, the dismissal of charges against activists arrested during the first protest in Novi Sad in November, and the initiation of criminal proceedings against those who assaulted demonstrators. Many activists arrested at the first protest were very young, some even underage. Even though most were released quickly, five young people spent almost a month in jail “due to the suspicion that they have committed a criminal act of violent behaviour at a public meeting”.

Since November, the movement has gained momentum across various societal groups including university professors, teachers, artists, lawyers, farmers, doctors, and prominent figures who have all expressed their support for the students’ cause and protest.

Nevertheless, despite the scale and peaceful nature of protests, most national media outlets, primarily tabloids, did not report on them professionally and ethically. Quite the contrary, tabloids exploited nationalist sentiments in collaboration with high-ranking government officials, creating narratives including that students and protesters are “foreign mercenaries”. Young people and other citizens participating in protests were targeted based on their political views, ethnicity, or nationality. Manipulating nationalist feelings, tabloids also attempted to discredit the protests by connecting them to Croatia, Albania, and other countries in the region.

For example, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić used national television coverage on TV Pink to label students as “anti-Serb forces”. He claimed that “Croatian members of non-governmental organisations” had come to Belgrade, allegedly to support student protests, but were actually aiding Croatian intelligence services and infiltrating universities.

In an attempt to undermine the protests, certain media outlets engaged in unethical practices by providing the public with private information of student activists. Tabloid media endangered the safety of students by publishing their photos and disclosing their names. Portal Novosti published names and photos of (Croatian) passports of University of Belgrade students, directly accusing them of attempting to destabilize Serbia. The headline implied that their Croatian citizenship was further proof of the alleged threat, claiming that the destruction of Serbia was orchestrated from Croatia. However, the article was later amended, with their names and passport photos removed. This deliberate exposure of private information not only endangers individuals but also aims to intimidate and discredit those demanding accountability.

Another notable case was a smear campaign against activist and student Mila Pajić, who was very vocal in the early days of protests, as well as during the last wave of demonstrations against lithium mining last summer. Tabloids have been targeting Pajić for months, labeling her an “anti-Serb activist” working against her country. For several days, tabloids published dozens of texts claiming she is “falling apart” and “on the verge of a mental breakdown”, even that she is “secretly being treated in a mental health facility”. These claims are backed with supposed “statements by her closest associates” as well as photos of her that are supposed to prove the claims.   

Many texts about her were recently removed from pro-government portals, along with more than 100 other texts in which tabloids presented unfounded information or spread hate speech against those participating in student blockades and protests. The texts were removed at the request of the website hosting companies they work with, due to violations of terms of use and laws of the European Union and Serbia, as Cenzolovka reported. Failing to prove claims made in these texts and fearing sanctions, including the termination of the domain on which they were registered, these portals were forced to remove the content. However, the damage has already been done, as these texts reached a huge audience prior to their removal. The portals did not even address, let alone apologise for their wrongdoings to those targeted or to their readers.

Students and young activists have been relentlessly targeted by government officials and certain media outlets. They have faced detention, arrest, surveillance, and spying.

Ethnic tensions and fearmongering have been weaponised to target activists and students. Rather than fueling political polarization and targeting student activists, the media should stand by them in demanding accountability from the government. The media has the power to amplify calls for justice, investigate the alleged corruption that led to the Novi Sad tragedy, and ensure those responsible are held accountable. Instead of silencing the voices of students, the media should uphold its duty to inform the public of the students’ demands, the broader public dissatisfaction, and the urgent need for transparency in Serbia’s institutions.

In such a political climate and media landscape, citizens can rely on only a few independent national media, as well as local journalists, who are crucial for providing timely, accurate and relevant information.