President of the Independent Association of Serbian Journalists (NUNS) Vukašin Obradović exclusivelly for SBS Serbian on constant pressures and attacks against journalists, control of information, censorship and increasing self censorship in Serbian media.
Journalists in Serbia have been protesting already for a month, since the minister of Defense, Bratislav Gašić insulted a journalist of B92 television. The journalist was retrieving a paper and went onto her knees not to be filmed. "I love journalists who easily go onto their knees", the Minister declared.
For many female journalists, that was the straw that broke the camel's back. Bitter because of all the insults they continually endure from many quarters: economic pressure; dependence on advertisers close to the government; bad application of the laws governing the media; control of information; censorship and increasing self censorship; division as friends or enemies of the state. All questions that have far more impact than a sexist comment by a Minister, but it was just this which sparked the demonstration on the streets.
