Vesic: Solak’s media waging propaganda war against Serbia

“There are two media outlets, several tycoon media owned by one tycoon, and that is Dragan Solak, that are not only failing to report objectively when this is happening, but are also waging a direct campaign of incitement that is to divide people and practically – I can’t say it is exactly like that but I hope they are unintentionally doing it – they are calling for  conflict,” Vesic told the pro-regime Pink TV.

The Minister accused the media operating within United Group of behaving as if they were “part of a propaganda war against their country” in the current crisis, following two mass shooting that have rocked Serbia.

“If you look at the demands (of the anti-violence protest), most of them are Dragan Solak’s wishes,” said Vesic, accusing the United Media co-owner of demanding that his media be awarded national broadcasting licenses and that their competition be eliminated.

“These are the demands of this tycoon who is waging his own campaign against Serbia, paying an agency to publish texts against (Serbian President) Aleksandar Vucic all over the world, and he is doing it with the Serbian citizens’ money,” said Vesic.

He added that “Solak took advantage of the murder of children to secure a better position for his companies in Serbia.”

Vesic’s appearance on Pink TV is a continuation of the campaign that government representatives have been waging over the past few days against the media operating within United Group.

MP of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) Nebojsa Bakarec accused the N1 and Nova S television stations in the Parliament on Thursday of being responsible for “the sick atmosphere in society that is conducive to tragedies“ such as the mass shooting at the Vladislav Ribnikar elementary school in Belgrade and that near the town of Mladenovac.

Also addressing the Parliament, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic accused “the tycoon media” of “poisoning the nation, sowing hatred, every minute, every hour.”

N1 Program Director Igor Bozic cautioned that Bakarec’s and Brnabic’s speeches spread hatred towards N1 TV and Nova S TV and most directly threaten the safety of journalists.