Photo: Time
The fifth day of the blockade of the Radio and Television of Serbia buildings in Takovska Street in Belgrade and in Košutnjak is underway. The public service was forced to change the program scheme, and as they state, they are working in the most difficult conditions so far. A criminal complaint was also filed against the students blocking RTS buildings
Blockada Radio and Television of Serbia entered the fifth day, so she was forced to adjust the program schedule due to difficult working circumstances, it was stated on the RTS website.
RTS did not broadcast the program even on Friday morning, and instead of the Morning Program, viewers had the opportunity to watch the film "Barking at the Stars".
Radio and Television of Serbia, whose buildings in Takovska Street and Kosutnjak have been blocked by students since Monday, April 14, announced on Friday (April 18) that it is working under the most difficult conditions so far.
"All newsrooms, journalists in the field, including young collaborators, technical and production teams, through no fault of their own, were put in a situation where they do not have the appropriate protection necessary for the normal performance of their duties," it was stated on the RTS website.
Vučić calls on the authorities to react, using the "least force" if necessary
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, announced on Instagram that he most strongly condemns "the brutal violence that the blockaders are undertaking against the journalists and editors of RTS! Serbia will have the strength to protect the constitutional order," Vučić wrote with a video statement.
"Today is Good Friday, a day of sadness, mourning, pain, but always a day of hope. Unfortunately, in our country and on the biggest Christian holiday, and the biggest, of course, the Orthodox holiday, some people use violence to try to destroy the state and its foundations. Some people even today mistreat those who think differently. They deny them the right to work, they deny them the freedom of movement, they even forbid them to eat. They are forbidden to broadcast their program. Whatever I think about that program, it's terrible and horrible messages sent to people who work at RTS," said Vučić.
He added that he called on "competent state authorities to take various measures to protect constitutionality and legality in the days ahead of us in accordance with the Constitution and the law."
"For the legal order to be re-established, for public order and peace to be protected, for it to be completely clear that Serbia as a state is functioning, and I am asking them to do it as much as possible without the use of force. Then when force is necessary, in that case, that it be the least possible in order to resolve things," Vučić said.
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The President of the National Assembly, Ana Brnabić, stated on the social network X (X) that "the wanton blockade of the public media service showed violence without end, dedicated sadism without any meaning, torture, insults, mistreatment and targeting of people, and above all women (from Nikolina Rakić to Vesna Radosavljević), preventing the right to work, stifling every word they don't like".
At the same time, she drew the attention of all competent institutions and participants in the blockade of RTS that what is happening in front of the public broadcaster is a violation of Article 149 of the Criminal Code.
"So much for how much they want the rule of law, freedom of the media, justice and institutions. They bike, walk and run, but they can't seem to escape the urge for violence. A decent, majority Serbia will win. The one that really believes in law, justice and institutions that do their job," wrote Brnabić.
Endless violence, dedicated sadism without any meaning, torture, insults, mistreatment and targeting of people, and above all women (from Nikolina Rakić to Vesna Radosavljević), preventing the right to work, stifling every word they don't like. This was shown by the reckless blockade... pic.twitter.com/cJ5wN5alHi
- Ana Brnabic (@anabrnabic) April 18, 2025
A criminal complaint has been filed
Radio and Television of Serbia submitted a criminal complaint to the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade against unknown persons who present themselves as students in the blockade, and who have been since April 14 blocked RTS facilities in Takovska and Aberdareva streets and on Košutnjak, where they constantly invite other citizens to join them, according to a statement published on the RTS website.
More on that read in a separate news item.
Apology to the faithful
RTS apologized to the believers and citizens of Serbia "because of the violent and illegal blockade" it is unable to traditionally broadcast the midnight and morning liturgy on Saturday and Sunday from the Church of Saint Sava, as well as the Catholic mass from the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday evening.
In the statement published on the RTS website, it is stated that for the same, technical reasons, the television on Thursday was not able to broadcast the end of the volleyball match between Radnicki and Vojvodina on the second program and the broadcast of the Europa League match between Manchester United and Lyon on the first program at the same time.
No music and noise on Good Friday
On Thursday evening, students in the blockade announced that they needed donations at both locations - cooked (fast) meals, water, energy drinks, raincoats, blankets, smaller tents, external batteries, scissors and duct tape.
Due to Good Friday, the students stated that there will be no music program on April 18, and no noise in front of RTS.
In front of the building in Takovska Street, students organized a performance called "Colored eggs, not colorful lies" on Friday.
They set up large tables on which citizens bring eggs, and the youngest enjoyed painting and decorating them the most. At the same time, the action was also carried out in front of the Radio Television of Serbia studio in Košutnjak.
Why is RTS blocked?
Blockada RTS started on Monday (April 14) evening, and the students announce that it will last until their demands are met - the announcement of a new competition for members of the Council of the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media (REM) or the shutdown of the public media service.
Belgrade students sent a letter to the Committee for Culture and Information of the Assembly of Serbia, in which they are informed that the blockade of RTS will last until the public call for the election of REM Council members is published, reports N1.
"This is the only way to free RTS, to free Serbia. The public service should report like you (N1)," Nemanja, who came with his son to support the students blocking the public service building, told N1.
REM spokeswoman Olivera Zekić stated that the request sent by the blocking students to the Parliamentary Committee for Culture and Information to repeat the process for selecting members of the REM Council represents a great pressure on the institutions, given that the competition is still ongoing.
"This competition has not yet ended and I don't know why they are looking for a new one. I don't know why it is late, but the procedure is in the Serbian Parliament", explained Zekić for Tanjug, as reported by the RTS website.
Zekić: I am convinced that 99 percent of students think that REM is a rock group
Zekić pointed out to FoNet that it depends on the Serbian Parliament whether the existing competition will be canceled and a new one announced.
"I would ask the students if they even know what the Regulatory Body for Electronic Media is? I am absolutely convinced that 99 percent of them think it's a rock band?", said Zekić, adding that "students have no idea" and that they are "incompetent".
She added that the student demands were fabricated, and that the mention of shutting down REM was a "phantasmagoria."
"They have to pump, but something doesn't work for them, so they make things up," said Zekić regarding the blocking of RTS.
Changed program and Diary in an improvised studio
Radio and Television of Serbia broadcast Dnevnik programs in an improvised studio on Thursday.
On Friday, there was no morning program, and films are shown on the programs of this television.
Source: N1/RTS/FoNet
After the incidents in the Assembly of the City of Kraljevo, Vladan Slavković, councilor of the Local Front, and Ivan Matović from the Association of Indigenous Peoples were detained.
The High Court in Belgrade sentenced Ivan Stanišić to an eight-month suspended sentence for violent behavior at a public meeting in front of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, held in memory of the victims of the accident at the train station in Novi Sad. The verdict was based on a plea agreement.
Marija Vasić, professor of sociology at the Jovin High School in Novi Sad, who went on a hunger and thirst strike after two months of detention, was transferred to the prison hospital. Her husband and her godmother talk to "Vreme" about Maria, their worries and what they are going through
The owner of the company "Eagle Hills", an investor in Belgrade on the water, stated that he made mistakes during the construction of that project. "We pay the state (Serbia) 200.000 euros a day, it is ridiculous to estimate that we pay six million euros a year," said Mohamed Alabar.
The members of the security of the Assembly of the City of Kraljevo brutally attacked the opposition councilors, which is apparently the first such case of reckoning with the dissidents of the regime
The regime's retaliation will be dire if the resistance falters. Now they want to imprison the people who talked about overthrowing the government because they were supposedly overthrowing the state. But the state was hijacked and overthrown by the regime a long time ago
The Ministry of Public Investment submitted a request for a building permit for the construction of a new building for the Belgrade Philharmonic. Given that it is known that the project is too expensive and that there is no money for it, it seems that this too is just another colorful lie
The knee-jerk Supreme Being trusts in the local elections in Kosjerić and Zaječar. It must not be forgotten that for 13 years he poured heavy poisons, especially in the province, and that detoxification is a long and painful process.
Extraordinary session of the High Prosecution Council
Prosecutors without protection from Vučić's pressures subscribeThe archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
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