BELGRADE: Thousands on Saturday rallied outside a pro-government television station in Serbia accused of a propaganda campaign against university students behind months of massive anti-corruption protests rattling populist President Aleksandar Vucic.
Private Informer television is among mainstream media outlets in Serbia loyal to Vucic and his right-wing government. Informer TV and tabloid newspaper have repeatedly branded student protesters as extremists and mercenaries during nearly five months of almost daily street demonstrations.
Protests have been peaceful but pro-government media have accused organizers of fueling violence and seeking to overthrow the government under orders from abroad. They have provided no evidence to support those claims.
“For months now, ever since the blockades started, we have been their target, we have been constantly smeared in the media,” student Ivona Markovic said.
The protests started after a concrete canopy collapsed in November at a train station in Serbia’s north, killing 16 people. The crash drew focus on rampant government corruption, triggering demands for accountability and political changes.
Protests have put pressure on an increasingly authoritarian Vucic, who is formally seeking European Union entry for Serbia but maintains close relations with Russia and China.
Vucic has promised a “counter-revolution” against the protests. Authorities have threatened legal action against university professors, including calls for the arrest of Vladan Djokic, the head dean at Belgrade University.
Vucic on Saturday visited a camp of his loyalists outside the presidency building, including a group of pro-government university students. He said “those who introduced anarchy” at the university will be held responsible.
Student protests have drawn hundreds of thousands of people, striking a cord among citizens who have been largely disillusioned with politicians.
Wearing protective white suits, several students symbolically staged a ‘decontamination’ performance outside the Informer TV building. Students also launched a petition to limit the television station’s access to broadcasting frequencies.
“This is a media war between Informer and students, between lies and truth, abuse of power and resistance,” the students said. “They (Informer) do not inform, they persecute.”
Informer on Saturday received support from top government officials.
Informer is widely watched and read in Serbia, where independent media have faced limited visibility and where critical journalists have complained of pressure, hate campaigns and lawsuits.
