Ruling party official targets journalists who participate in protests

April 18, 2017


The head of the parliamentary group of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party, Aleksandar Martinović, has shown images – in the Serbian National Assembly and on Radio-Television Serbia – of several journalists, opposition politicians and activists, as well as their children, denouncing them for taking part in the protests that have been taking place in Serbia every day since the presidential election of 2nd April.

As “evidence” that the protests are being organised by the opposition, “which experienced a debacle in the elections”, Martinović showed photos of around a dozen well-known journalists, who were photographed in the crowds during protest walks.

Journalists’ associations concluded that with this move Martinović drew targets on these journalists’ foreheads.

A citizen campaign quickly followed on social networks – with the hashtag #jasamorganizator (Iamanorganiser) they post their photos from the protests and send them by e-mail to Martinović, in order to show that they are not scared and to demonstrate solidarity.

Current Prime Minister and future president Aleksandar Vučić condemned Martinović’s statement, saying that denouncing other people’s families was “unfair”, which the editorial commentary of influential daily newspaper Danas evaluated as a “mock apology”.


Photo: YouTube Screenshot