The European Democratic Party (EDP) has said that threats against N1 reporter Mladen Savatović and the registration of 147 voters at a single address in Belgrade should not be viewed as isolated incidents, arguing that they point to broader problems surrounding Serbia’s electoral process.
In a statement posted on X, the EDP referred to an N1 report concerning 147 registered voters at an address in Belgrade linked to a person described by the party as being close to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and to threats directed at Savatović while he was reporting on the case.
“These are not isolated failures: they reveal the mechanism of power around Aleksandar Vučić,” the EDP said.
The party called for updated and accurate voter rolls, free media and institutions that protect citizens rather than the ruling party.
The EDP’s comments followed an incident on October 3, when Savatović and N1 cameraman Ivan Pavlović were reporting outside a building on Kraljevića Marka Street in central Belgrade over allegations that it was being used to register so-called “phantom voters.” The Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS) and the Journalists’ Association of Serbia (UNS) condemned the incident.
According to the journalists’ associations and N1, two men approached the crew, with one attempting to prevent them from filming and later trying to move the camera. The man was identified as Momčilo Mandić, the father of former handball player and businessman Vladimir Mandić, who owns the building and has been described by N1 as a prominent SNS member. Momčilo Mandić allegedly insulted and threatened Savatović and attempted to physically confront him before another man intervened.
The incident was the second serious confrontation involving Savatović within two days. UNS said authorities should take the matter seriously and ensure journalists can work without threats or intimidation during the electoral period.
Serbia’s acting Interior Minister Ivica Dačić said he did not know why a police patrol had not arrived after the N1 crew called for assistance.
The EDP said the incidents demonstrate the need for electoral institutions and media to operate without pressure, while its characterization of the events as part of a broader mechanism remains a political assessment by the party.
