Ten journalists from Serbia’s N1 television station have resigned, accusing the outlet’s new management of censorship, manipulation and interference with editorial independence, just days before parliamentary elections in the country.
Their departure has prompted a reaction from internationally renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour, who has expressed concern about the state of press freedom in Serbia.
“A concerning moment for freedom of the press in Serbia, right before elections. A free and independent press should be non-negotiable in any democracy,” Amanpour wrote on X.
According to reports, the ten journalists submitted a joint letter to management, outlining a series of allegations about how the television station has been run following changes in ownership and management.
“Under the new management, we have witnessed falsehoods, manipulation, covert censorship, the public discrediting of colleagues, their professional marginalization, insults and humiliation, changes in programme editors, and a refusal to hold open discussions about problems,” their letter states.
The journalists also accused the station’s management of creating a false impression of public debate while, they say, genuine dialogue within the newsroom has been eliminated.
They have opposed what they describe as an attempt to create a false equivalence between political actors, while ignoring the political context and the treatment N1 has faced from Serbian authorities over the years.
“Precisely because Serbia is facing its most unpredictable elections since N1 was founded, under these circumstances, we refuse to lend legitimacy to an editorial policy that we cannot support,” the journalists stated.
According to the journalists, the restrictions imposed by the new management have made it impossible for them to remain at the television station without compromising their professional principles.
For years, N1 has been one of Serbia’s leading television stations reporting critically on the government and President Aleksandar Vučić.
In May, according to published reports, N1’s parent company was sold to European Future Media Investments, based in Luxembourg and managed by Alpac Capital.
The company had previously acquired Euronews in 2022. An investigation by journalists from Direkt36 and Le Monde reported that the acquisition had been partly financed by Hungarian state capital and companies linked to the political network of Hungary’s Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán.
The resignations come ahead of Serbia’s parliamentary elections on October 25, at a time when the role of the media and editorial independence are particularly important for keeping the public informed.
N1’s newsroom has confirmed the departure of the ten journalists, expressing regret over their decision and stating that it will continue to uphold professional principles and independent reporting.
“A concerning moment for freedom of the press in Serbia, right before elections. A free and independent press should be non-negotiable in any democracy.”
— Christiane Amanpour (@amanpour), October 21, 2026
