Live Broadcasts of Užice Assembly Suspended; Opposition Claims Media Smear Campaign

In Užice, Serbia, a concerning trend is emerging that threatens the transparency and accountability of local governance. Vladan Sinđić, a councilor representing the Green-Left Front, has highlighted the abrupt cessation of live broadcasts for City Assembly sessions, a practice that had been in place for over three decades. This move, coupled with alleged smear campaigns against opposition figures on newly acquired local media outlets, paints a troubling picture of the current political climate.

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We asked for the public procurement to be repeated and for the broadcast, that is, the purchase of airtime on television, to be separated from the public procurement of recording and broadcast production. This has been done.

Sinđić asserts that the local television station responsible for the broadcasts was sold to a company that also owns newspapers known for their partisan reporting. He claims that these newly influenced media platforms are now being used to tarnish the reputation of opposition councilors, citing an instance where an individual arrested for drug possession was linked to opposition members. This alleged manipulation of local media raises serious concerns about the freedom of the press and the fairness of political discourse in Užice.

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Now, on those televisions, opposition councilors of the Užice assembly are usually smeared.

Furthermore, Sinđić interprets these developments as a sign of internal strife within the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS). He suggests that the actions taken against the Užice SNS committee are a form of 'discipline' and point to deeper divisions within the party's ranks. The incident where councilors, including those from the SNS, voted to uphold the dignity of the assembly despite political differences, is seen by Sinđić as a sign of resistance against the prevailing 'fear-based model' of governance. This situation underscores the importance of independent media and robust opposition in ensuring democratic processes at the local level.

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What we are currently witnessing is the breakdown of a model based on fear.