The Dangerous Untruths of „Srpski telegraf“

The Dangerous Untruths of „Srpski telegraf“

In the 3rd November article „Srpski telegraf“ stated a falsehood in relation to the investigation by the Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK) into the assets of Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and his family, and falsely accused KRIK of participation in the „taking down of Vucic“ and of „setting up“ his brother Andrej.

In the current climate where media and members of the government are talking about the assassination attempt on the Prime Minister and the possibility of someone targeting him and his brother, placing KRIK in such a context is particularly dangerous and can threaten the safety of journalists.

By Bojana Jovanovic

The controversial article incorrectly states that „KRIK accused Andrej of owning six properties in Belgrade, whose total value is around 1.2 million euros, which KRIK had failed to prove.“

Recall that in KRIK’s article „Serbian PM and his family own assets worth more than € 1 million“, it was discovered that the PM owns one property and members of his family six more real estates in Belgrade, which together are worth more than 1.1 million euros. Andrej Vucic owns a four-room apartment of 108 square meters with a market value of around 191 thousand euros. This story, as well as other research of KRIK’s, is based on official documentation available on our website.

What is, however, far more concerning than incorrect information about our research is that „Srpski telegraf“ falsely claims that KRIK participate in the „taking down of Vucic“ and of „setting up“ his brother. This is especially dangerous when we take into account the current situation in the country, where for days there have been talks about the assassination attempt on the Prime Minister and some of the officials said that his brother is potential target.

The consequences of texts that target media organizations and their reporters might compromise the safety of journalists in the newsroom, as has previously been the case. Journalists at KRIK have already received threats because of their research on the property of the Prime Minister.

We remind everyone that KRIK engages in investigative journalism and is not representing anyone’s interests. KRIK publishes investigative stories that reveal corruption and criminal connections in order to discover what citizens, individuals, and interest groups are trying to hide, and to highlight the potential for the abuse of public office.

 

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