NGOs Concerned Over Potential Sale of Independent Media to Alpac Capital

A coalition of over twenty-five non-governmental organizations has voiced significant alarm regarding the reported potential sale of Adria News Network (ANN), which includes prominent media outlets like N1, Nova S, Radar, and Danas, to Alpac Capital. These organizations, staunch advocates for media freedom, view this potential acquisition as a "direct and unavoidable threat" to the media landscape not only in Serbia but across the entire Western Balkans region. Their concern stems from Alpac Capital's previous investments, specifically its majority stake acquisition in Euronews in 2022, which investigative reports by Direkt36 and Le Monde linked to Hungarian state capital and entities close to Viktor Orbán's political networks. The NGOs are calling for a thorough examination of Alpac Capital's business practices and emphasize the critical need to safeguard editorial independence in Serbia. In response to these external speculations, ANN has issued a statement acknowledging the reports but maintaining its policy of not commenting on market rumors or potential transactions until an official announcement is made. Crucially, ANN assures its audience and stakeholders that its editorial teams are continuing their work "exactly as they do today, in accordance with existing editorial structures, standards, and management frameworks," emphasizing that "the work of our newsrooms and editorial processes continue normally, without any changes."

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We are greatly concerned that the potential sale of the last independent media in Serbia to the company Alpac Capital represents a direct and unavoidable threat to media freedoms in Serbia and the Western Balkans.