The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia categorically defends and supports journalists from the media in Serbia, the subject of dangerous and unfounded allegations made in the statement of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, which refer to the alleged role of certain local and national media outlets and the European Union in the anti-government protests, says a statement by the association published on its website, BTA reported.
The declaration refers to the analysis published in a press release of the Russian Intelligence Service today, which claims that the EU is organizing "Maidan" in Serbia, by financing the news portals: FoNet, RAM Network, Vreme, Juzne Vesti, Slobodna rec, Boom93, Podrinske, Freemedia, Indjija, SOinfo, FAR, Storyteller.
Among them is the publication FAR, which has been published in Bulgarian and Serbian for 9 years.
"Journalists from the above-mentioned media in Serbia cover the protests professionally and it is their duty to provide the public with accurate and complete information about important events. However, statements like this, which suggest foreign conspiracies without evidence, expose journalists and the media to direct danger," the professional association also said, adding that they have already been contacted by colleagues who fear for their safety and who "feel additional pressure in carrying out their work."
The published press release by the Russian Intelligence Service is a direct interference by Russia in the internal affairs of Serbia, announced the deputy chairman of the Party of Freedom and Justice, Borko Stefanović.
„There is no European plan, no Serbian Maidan, no color revolution and similar nonsense that tries to hide the fact that the citizens of Serbia themselves want freedom, responsibility, law and prison for thieves and murderers. We will fight for this!“, said the opposition politician on the social network Ex.
“The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, headed by Sergei Naryshkin, announced that the services of the EU countries are preparing a "Maidan" in Serbia, bloody like any other "Maidan". We ask the government of Serbia what needs to happen to stop leading us towards the EU?“, announced in a statement to TANJUG from the "Socialist Movement" party, which is a coalition partner of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party.
The chairman of the "Socialist Movement" party Aleksandar Vulin was deputy prime minister in the government under Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, who resigned at the end of January after a baton attack by supporters of the Serbian Progressive Party on protesting students in Novi Sad.
Vulin is currently not part of the executive branch, and since May this year he has held the position of chairman of the Supervisory Board of the state-owned gas company “Serbiagaz”, which is under the control of “Gazprom”.