Lawyer and vice president of the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), Aleksandar Olenik, has accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić of deliberately postponing elections until December 2026 to secure a political environment free of independent media scrutiny.
Olenik wrote on social media platform X:
“Although Vučić’s plan to suppress N1 Serbia and TV Nova has become public, he will not stop. Only without independent media can Vučić remain in power.”
Olenik added that this is the primary reason for delaying elections.
“The goal is an election campaign without independent media. Otherwise, there will be no early elections,” he warned.
This move raises serious concerns about media freedom and democratic processes in Serbia. Media outlets under United Media requested a management buyout from BC Partners, the owner of United Group, to safeguard independent editorial policy. BC Partners, however, responded after a month that there are no plans to sell the media to a third party, leaving independent journalism in Serbia vulnerable to political pressure.
On 4 December, Vučić announced that parliamentary elections could take place in May, November, or December 2026, but Olenik’s warning suggests that the President’s priority is controlling the narrative rather than upholding democratic norms.
The postponement and suppression of independent media highlight a broader trend of consolidation of power and erosion of press freedom, signaling a troubling trajectory for Serbia’s democratic institutions.
