“Free the Public Broadcaster”: Students Block RTS in Belgrade

Izvor
KoSSev
-
FOTO: N1

The headquarters of Serbia’s national broadcaster, Radio Television of Serbia (RTS), remain blocked this morning at both its Takovska Street location and the Košutnjak complex, according to Belgrade media outlets.

Despite the blockade, RTS programming has continued largely uninterrupted, though students claim broadcasts are running with a 30-minute delay. Meanwhile, the blockade of the Avala Film complex at Košutnjak — home to the facilities of TV Nova — has forced the station to air its programs from outside the building, with journalists reporting from in front of the entrance.

 Around 140 students are currently gathered at the Košutnjak site, daily newspaper Danas reports. At the Takovska location, protesters have set up tents on Aberdareva Street, one of the approaches to the RTS building, while others are demonstrating in front of the main entrance with vuvuzelas and whistles.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nova.rs portal (@nova.rs_portal)

 “We must free the public broadcaster,” students from the Faculty of Dramatic Arts declared this morning, underscoring the message of their protest: a demand for unbiased, truthful reporting from the national media.

While the RTS buildings in Belgrade remain under blockade, the Radio-Television of Vojvodina (RTV) premises in Novi Sad were cleared early this morning. According to N1, gendarmerie and riot police arrived at the site shortly after 4:30 a.m. and dispersed students and citizens by 5 a.m., pushing them from the building’s entrance to the pedestrian walkway at the base of the steps.

The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade released a statement this morning, saying it is closely monitoring the situation and that any criminal acts will be prosecuted “in accordance with the law.”

RTS has called on students to end the blockade, arguing that obstructing the work of its employees amounts to “pressure on a media outlet that has earned the trust of citizens for years.” Protesters, however, strongly disagree. They began their blockade around 10 p.m. last night in a move that was not publicly announced in advance.

As more citizens joined the protest, the police presence near RTS increased, with both regular officers and members of the gendarmerie deployed. According to statements made last night, protesters intend to maintain the blockade indefinitely — either until a new competition is announced for the selection of members of the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM), or until RTS is shut down entirely.

Students and their supporters accuse RTS of biased coverage and demand more accurate and comprehensive reporting.

“They didn’t even cover the cyclists who have been riding to Strasbourg for days. Not one decent, respectful report,” one protester said through a megaphone last night.


Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.