Serbian journalists in fresh protests against “sexist” minister

A group of Serbian journalists yesterday renewed their protests against Defence Minister Bratislav Gašić, who has attracted criticism for making a sexist remark to a female reporter.

Mr Gašić remains in office despite a promise by Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić to remove him from his post in December 2015. The protesters gathered yesterday in front of the Serbian government building in Belgrade under the slogan “Journalists do not kneel”, demanding that Mr Vučić’s promise to sack Gašić be fulfilled.

The promise was made soon after Mr Gašić stated that he “love[s] female journalists who get down on their knees easily”, when reporter Zlatija Labović from TV B92 knelt down on the ground in order to get out of camera shot during a press event.

Journalist Antonela Riha read a statement at the rally, demanding that the prime minister immediately sack Mr Gašić and that he “influence representatives of the assembly from [Vučić’s ruling] Progressive Party to vote for sacking Gašić”.

The protesters have claimed that the Gašić incident is indicative of a wider-reaching negative attitude towards journalists held by members of the government, and Ms Riha also highlighted other pressures on the Serbian media in the statement.

“Objective and critical media and journalists have been brought to the brink of extinction in the past ten years because of pressure from politicians and financial potentates,” she said. “Owners and management of the media are also responsible because they have fallen under pressure easily [...]. We [journalists] are also partly responsible because we have not fought back in time.”

Protests for Gašić’s resignation have been held in 14 cities and towns across Serbia.

Source: Balkan Insight