Panel discussion 'Who will survive freedom and democracy': Independent media in the region won't last much longer

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Journalist and writer Viktor Ivančić accused that most media in the former Yugoslavia are such that they try to inflict wounds that never heal and remain constantly fresh. He warned about so-called patriotic journalism, which is present "even in the most ordinary news," while, as he said, there is less and less objective journalism.

"To begin with, it would be good for journalism to self-destruct. It was the precursor to those wars. The journalistic profession, on average, since the beginning of the 90s, the role of most media has been criminal. They incited, they stirred up. In the meantime, there has been no catharsis. There has been no fundamental change in the criminal regimes and criminal media, which continue to work intensively on division," said Ivančić, writes the Patria agency.

Ivančić spoke at the panel discussion "Who will survive freedom and democracy," organized by the Sarajevo and Belgrade forumZFD in cooperation with Peščanik from Belgrade at the Networks premises in Sarajevo.

In addition to Ivančić, the panel also featured Professor from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade Snježana Milivojević, journalist and editor of Peščanik Svetlana Lukić, and publicist and theologian fra Drago Bojić. Journalist and director of Media Center Sarajevo Boro Kontić moderated the panel.

Speaking about the problems of independent media in Serbia, Peščanik editor Svetlana Lukić said that in Serbia, there is an open and free hunt for independent media, which can only survive and do survive with fanatical loyalty. She reminded that the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, became a politician by destroying media.

"One by one, media outlets and journalists are falling. I don't think we will survive much longer. Nationalism is one of the problems, but it is also a problem that journalists and media participate in the mafia-like dealings of the political elite. When you have that mix of nationalism, Greater Serbian politics, you have a mafia state. Then it is a combination in which stone cannot remain upon stone," Lukić stated.

For Professor from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade Snježana Milivojević, journalism has experienced a downfall. She emphasized that journalism as a profession has been allowed to become irrelevant, even though, she explains, information is something very important for citizens to be able to practice their civil liberties.

Fra Drago Bojić believes that "our societies were built on lies," and that is why media are needed to maintain that lie in politics.