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▪️The closure of Al Jazeera Balkans and pressure on regional media raise concerns about media pluralism and public access to information

▪️In #Serbia, #N1 and #NovaTV continue to operate under intense political pressure

▪️These developments raise questions about the #mediafreedom in the region.

▪️In 2025, press freedom and independent journalism face growing challenges globally

▪️In the Balkans, governments continue to exert pressure on independent media, contrary to EU standards

▪️Declined support with USAID shut down and outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe were affected.

🔹Serbia stands at a crossroads: without decisive action, the current crisis risks accelerating democratic backsliding.

This BiEPAG's brief lists the recommendations for getting out of this gridlock, insisting on a urgent reset in EU-Serbia relations.

www.biepag.eu/publication/...

🔹Students, civil society, academia, and opposition actors need visible, consistent EU support now more than ever.

🔹The EU can no longer accept cosmetic reforms. Real democratic progress must be firmly linked to advancement in accession talks.

🔹Citizens have mobilized at scale, public opinion is shifting, and the government response is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

🔹Serbia’s mass protests after the Novi Sad tragedy mark the most serious challenge yet to Vučić’s rule—and a clear democratic tipping point.