Journalist Predrag Popović of N1 has found himself at the center of controversy following the leak of an email he sent to the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. The email, which questioned whether legal proceedings would be initiated in response to a banner glorifying the convicted war criminal Ratko Mladić at a football match, was published verbatim by pro-government tabloids. This has resulted in Popović being targeted by these media outlets, who have accused him of being anti-Serb and advocating for the arrest of Serbs.
Popović’s email addressed the display of a large banner featuring Mladić’s image during a match between Partizan and Red Star, which included the phrase “Pravac Potočari,” referring to the site of the Srebrenica massacre. He queried if actions would be taken against individuals for publicly endorsing or diminishing the severity of genocide and war crimes. The leak of this email, which occurred shortly after it was sent, has raised significant concerns about the integrity of the prosecutor’s office.
The timing of the leak is particularly noteworthy, as it coincided with the day of Mladić’s funeral. Popović suspects that the leak was deliberate, potentially orchestrated from within the prosecutor’s office, to exploit the sensitive timing and stir public sentiment. He expressed surprise and concern over the leak, noting that while it is common for the prosecutor’s office not to respond to media inquiries, the act of forwarding his email to tabloids is unprecedented.
Popović has stated that the publication of his email has compromised his privacy and safety, describing it as an act of intimidation and targeting. He emphasized that his inquiry was based on existing laws and parliamentary declarations, dismissing claims that he was inciting arrests as baseless. In response to the incident, Popović plans to pursue legal action with the support of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) and company lawyers. He also intends to contact the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection and international organizations, while seeking a security assessment from the police.
Veran Matić, President of the Managing Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM), has linked the email leak to the broader context of Mladić’s glorification, suggesting that the Serbian government is manipulating public perception. He criticized the tabloids’ role in this process, which he sees as part of a pattern of media manipulation and harassment that often goes unpunished.
The incident has reignited discussions about press freedom in Serbia, highlighting the precarious position of journalists who report on contentious issues. The leak and subsequent targeting of Popović underscore the challenges faced by the media in Serbia, where political pressures and media manipulation are ongoing concerns. The situation reflects broader issues of media freedom and the politicization of journalism in the country, as well as the deep divisions in Serbian society regarding the legacy of the Yugoslav wars.
