{"id":20148,"date":"2026-05-20T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/yihr.rs\/?p=20148"},"modified":"2026-05-20T10:47:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T09:47:05","slug":"potential-sale-of-adria-news-network-threatens-media-freedoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yihr.rs\/en\/potential-sale-of-adria-news-network-threatens-media-freedoms\/","title":{"rendered":"Potential sale of Adria News Network threatens media freedoms"},"content":{"rendered":"

As strong advocates of press freedom, we are gravely alarmed at reports published earlier this week suggesting that United Group is preparing to sell the Adria News Network (ANN), including N1, Nova S, Radar and Danas as well as approximately a dozen further outlets across the Western Balkans to the European Future Media Investments fund controlled by Portuguese investment firm Alpac Capital.<\/span><\/p>\n

If confirmed, we believe that this transaction could represent one of the most consequential threats to media pluralism in Europe in recent memory. It would place some of the last editorially independent television news broadcasters, daily newspaper and online news platforms in Serbia under the control of a firm whose existing media holdings have been marked by documented allegations of censorship, political interference and the erosion of editorial standards.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alpac Capital\u2019s Record Must Be Scrutinised<\/b><\/p>\n

Alpac Capital acquired a majority stake in Euronews in 2022. Investigative reporting from Direkt36 and Le Monde subsequently revealed that this acquisition was partly financed by Hungarian state capital and companies closely linked to the political networks of Viktor Orb\u00e1n.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under Alpac Capital’s ownership Euronews Serbia is licensed to state-owned Telekom Srbija, the same entity whose CEO was recorded discussing strategies to weaken N1 with the CEO of United Group. This included a personal request from President Vu\u010di\u0107 to remove a key guarantor of editorial independence from the company.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under this license, journalists reportedly face documented censorship, bans on questioning Serbian government officials and dismissal for defending editorial standards. Alpac Capital has close links to both President Vu\u010di\u0107 and Viktor Orb\u00e1n.<\/span><\/p>\n

ANN\u2019s Media Outlets Are Already Under Threat<\/b><\/p>\n

This comes after well-documented concerns over the threat to editorial independence at ANN media outlets. Following the release of the recording between the CEOs of Telekom Srbija and United Group, the European Parliament adopted a resolution stating that \u2018the Serbian government appears to have been negotiating with the owners of the United Media company to \u2018weaken\u2019 independent media outlets operating under it\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

The removal of Igor Bo\u017ei\u0107 from N1 further amplified our concerns. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) stated that his dismissal \u2018clearly contradicts [ANN\u2019s] stated intentions to preserve N1 from political interference\u2019. Eight Serbian media associations and unions described the dismissal as \u2018a serious signal that the authorities, in coordination with new ownership structures, have entered the final phase of establishing control over one of the last remaining pillars of independent information in Serbia\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

Editorial Independence In Serbia Must Be Protected<\/b><\/p>\n

We have witnessed this pattern before. Under Alpac Capital\u2019s license, Euronews Serbia rapidly became a vehicle for state-captured journalism. That\u2019s why we are calling on:<\/span><\/p>\n