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Serbia: Opposition MP Claims Journalist Fabricated Attack to Intimidate Supporters

Serbia: Opposition MP Claims Journalist Fabricated Attack to Intimidate Supporters

From N1 Serbia · (13m ago) Serbian Critical tone

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Marinika Tepić, a Serbian MP, claims that a journalist from Informer fabricated an assault at an event in Kikinda.
  • Tepić alleges the journalist filed a false report, leading police to question attendees at their homes.
  • She asserts the incident was a setup to intimidate opposition members.

From the perspective of N1 Serbia, this incident highlights a disturbing pattern of alleged political manipulation and intimidation tactics within Serbia's media and political landscape. The report focuses on the claims made by Marinika Tepić, a prominent opposition figure, who accuses the pro-government tabloid Informer and the authorities of orchestrating a false narrative to target political opponents.

Tepić's statement, as reported, paints a picture of a deliberate provocation. She claims the alleged assault on the Informer journalist was a staged event, designed to create a pretext for police harassment of citizens who attended the opposition event in Kikinda. The subsequent police visits to people's homes, as described by Tepić, are presented as a clear attempt to instill fear and discourage participation in opposition activities.

The fabricated attack on the 'Informer journalist' at the event of our Freedom and Justice Party in Kikinda, where I was speaking, turned out today to be a pre-planned provocation and setup for the apprehension and intimidation of opposition members.

— Marinika TepićTepić's statement alleging the journalist's story was a setup.

The article also touches upon the broader context of media bias in Serbia, referencing Informer as a "media of lies and hatred" and noting that the alleged fabricated incident was quickly amplified by other pro-government figures and media outlets. This suggests a coordinated effort to control the narrative and discredit the opposition. The Serbian perspective, as conveyed through N1's reporting, is one of concern over the erosion of democratic norms and the weaponization of media and state institutions against political dissent.

The Informer journalist, Vladimir Savić, once filed an application for political asylum in Austria, claiming to be a victim of persecution by Vučić's regime. Yesterday, he filed a false report that he was attacked at an event in Kikinda, after which he went for a drink with the mayor of this city.

— Marinika TepićTepić's claims about the journalist's past and his alleged actions following the incident.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.