Before the force

The more we talk about freedom, the less it is. The Balkan countries have entered the process of integration with the EU or are on the way, and more than half of the violations of media freedom in Europe in the last few weeks were precisely in the Balkans. This was announced by representatives of the SEEMO organization, which set up a platform through which pressures can be reported.

Among the Yugoslav countries, the most violations were reported in Serbia. There, during the floods, under the guise of a state of emergency, the government of Aleksandar Vučić was accused of attempting to introduce censorship.

The websites of disobedient media were taken down, and their journalists were attacked with hateful language on portals close to the prime minister, former Seselj's striker and minister of information in one of Milosevic's wartime governments. Those during whose mandate Slavko Ćuruvija was killed. Vučić is Milo Đukanović's natural partner.

Because of the events in Serbia, the European delegation reacted, as well as Dunja Mijatović, the high representative of the OSCE for the media.

In the first months after opening negotiations with Brussels, Serbia stood better than many surrounding countries on the scale of media freedom, which is compiled every year by Reporters Without Borders. It was in 54th place, ahead of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Macedonia. It cooperated with the EU and the OSCE on the legislative framework, has strong journalist associations, regulatory agencies, and formed an independent commission that started an investigation related to Ćuruvija's murder from a deadlock. Then, in just a few weeks, the government disintegrated - due to the need to cover up mistakes during the floods, but also the forgeries of the police minister caught in plagiarism. Everything went wrong, Serbia started on the path that Macedonia and Montenegro have been on for some time, which according to the media freedom index, are doing very badly.

Macedonia is in a disastrous 124th place, even though it has been a candidate for the EU for a decade. Several media that were out of the control of the authorities were shut down there. Journalists are being held in custody. They are accused of working against the state and spying for enemies, such as Greece. According to one of these indictments, Zoran Božinovski was arrested some time ago. Božinovski is known in Montenegro because of his testimony about cigarette smuggling, mention of the Montenegrin leader and Stanko Subotić Canet. He was arrested on a Macedonian indictment and in Serbia, after Vučić consolidated power and Cane was removed from the Interpol wanted list.

And the champion of European integration - Montenegro, year after year it is lower and lower on the Reporters Without Borders list - in 2013 it finished in 114th place due to attacks on journalists, bombs, a brutal campaign against disobedient media and opponents of the regime, which was directed by Milo himself Djukanovic. And court processes, in which, even when everything is as clean as a tear, the critical media lose. As in the case of the first sister against the Monitor. The second-instance court overturned the acquittal of Monitor, despite the fact that the reporting on Telekom and Ana Kolarević was based on facts discovered in America. But a sister is a sister.

Informer is a new phase. Everyone who raises their head can expect horror like Vanja Ćalović. Editing is only the first step, then in Đukanović's system ethicists, guardians of professional standards, appear. They should conduct investigations and give permits - who is for the public scene, who should keep quiet. If you are targeted by an Informer, you must bring a medical certificate that you are not depraved.

Ethicists are in charge of the media, and reformer Igor Lukšić is in charge of the European delegation. He was angry that the Delegation dared to employ an Oxford student, who published in the hostile press. He has to wear a yellow ribbon. And Drobnič to recruit party soldiers and UDG students, just as Lukšić is doing in the ministry. And Baby to give grants. Informant to read.

Never more talk about Europe, and never less freedom. It is up to us, but also up to Europe. We are helpless before the force. Europe closes its eyes while Sloba's young man shakes the Balkans.