Tensions in Serbia: a favorable TV segment for Vučić was attacked by protesters who demanded the arrest of the editor

Protestors broke into a Serbian television station supporting former President Aleksandar Vučić late Monday night, interrupting broadcasts to demand the arrest of the editor-in-chief, as tens of thousands took to the streets for the second consecutive night of post-election celebrations, Reuters reports. Serbia's "Students List," born from an anti-corruption protest movement led by students, ousted Vučić following historic elections held on Sunday, ending 14 years in power for a man who served as Minister of Information during Slobodan Milošević's term and maintained strict control over the press. Footage broadcast live by Informer TV showed how, Monday night, approximately 30 people broke into the station’s editorial office and surrounded the editor-in-chief and owner Dragan Vučicevic. Some protesters shouted: "This is what happens in free Serbia" and "Where is Vučić now?". Others even demanded Vučicevic's arrest, News.ro notes. On his personal Instagram account, Vučić, wearing a sweater with the word "sorry" crossed out, characterized the event as an attack on freedom of expression and the freedom of journalism. Call for Calm The student movement has no clear leader, and Serbians are waiting to see who it will appoint as prime minister and in other key positions. The main candidate on the movement's electoral list, cardiologist Ilija Srdanović, called for calm. "Please remain calm and dignified until the end of the election process, just as you have so far," he said in a video posted on his Instagram account. "Do not resort to any form of violence. The Students List and your student movement urge you to do this," he conveyed. The Independent Journalists Association of Serbia stated in a press release that it will file a request on Tuesday for the revocation of Informer TV's broadcasting license, citing systematic violations of law and programming obligations. "Right from the first day (Students List) came to power, they want to ban the mass media. They said everything about themselves and nothing about us," stated Vučicevic of Informer to Reuters. Monday night, a group of people gathered outside the private television station Pink TV in Belgrade, favorable to Vučić, which was cordoned off by police. My fault Previously, the public television station RTV in the Vojvodina region aired its evening news broadcast apologizing to viewers for failing its role, citing unilateral and uncritical reporting. The announcement referenced an initiative by the main state television channel of Hungary, which in July, following an election loss three months earlier by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, displayed a black screen with the message: "Public media cannot lie. We apologize for having done this for many years." Serbia ranked 104 out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index conducted by Reporters Without Borders, the lowest position ever recorded by this country and the weakest in the EU-Balkans region. The election monitoring organization Crta stated last week that national coverage television stations allocated three quarters of their allotted time to government representatives. "Students List" was portrayed negatively in over 80% of the time it was discussed, Crta added. Editor: B.E.