N1 learned on Monday that the Euractiv news portal terminated its franchise partner contract with a pro-regime media company in Serbia after less than a year.

According to the N1 source, the contract was originally signed with Igor Zezelj’s Adria Media company which changed its name to Mondo inc. The source said the franchise partnership contract was terminated last Friday but did not disclose the reasons for the termination.

The Adria Media company organized a gala dinner when the contract was signed, hosting government officials, diplomats and business people, including Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic and European Integration Minister Tanja Miscevic as well as EU Ambassador Emanuel Giaufret, at the Hyatt Hotel in Belgrade.

The Euractiv partnership franchise was previously held by the independent Beta news agency for a number of years. Euractiv is viewed as an important media outlet by both the authorities and opposition in Serbia.

Euractiv’s decision to sign the contract with Igor Zezelj’s company drew fierce criticism at the time in the wake of reports that alleged that his media company had received millions of Euro from the state-controlled Telekom Serbia to buy and set up pro-regime media outlets.

Zezelj told the gala dinner that his Adria Media Group wanted to become the biggest digital media company in the region and thanked its partners and the Serbian government for their support.