Vienna, 24/11/2011
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), an affiliate of the International Press Institute, condemns the series of attacks against the property of Radio-Television Prima in Bajina Basta, a town 170 kilometres southwest of Belgrade.
During the weekend of 15-16 October 2011, the studio of Radio-Television Prima was pelted with stones. Several windows of the building were broken and three tires of their company car slit. Radio-Television Prima said that this was third attack on the company’s vehicle in the last three months.
SEEMO is informed that TV Prima has been under increasing political and economic pressure during the past four months. In fact, local media in Serbia are continuously pressured by politicians, business leaders and religious figures, as SEEMO has reported over the past months.
“I strongly urge the police to find those who destroyed TV Prima’s property and call on the authorities, both national and local, to protect journalists and enable them work in a free environment,” said Oliver Vujovic, SEEMO Secretary General.