MFRR: Student List victory offers media reform opportunity, but power shift must not lead to retaliation

The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) Europe-wide mechanism on Tuesday assessed that the victory of the Student List in Serbia’s parliamentary elections is an opportunity for thorough media reform but cautioned that the change of government must not lead to political retaliation against the media and journalists. A joint statement, published by the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), noted that the success of these reforms will depend on the future government’s willingness to ensure accountability for past attacks on journalists, guarantee institutional independence, and provide lasting protection for media editorial autonomy. “These problems cannot be resolved simply by replacing the political actors exercising influence over the media,” the MFRR stated.