"The government cleans up the evidence and the past, the investigative media saves it for the future"

In recent years, journalists in Serbia have discovered a rich history of various tricks of the government, connections with criminals, rigged tenders, plagiarized doctorates.

It will be transmitted by some media that can, people then get some awards for investigative reporting.

But nothing has changed. The authorities ignore the matter, cover it up, twist it, sometimes they get angry, they say that journalists are mercenaries, the more nervous ones sue them. And by then it was already moved on to the next topic and affair.

"If I looked at it that way, I would probably leave journalism," says Stevan Dojčinović, editor of KRIK, who recently exposed more deeper connections between Sarić's drug clan and the state.

Nothing is like in the movies.

Dojčinović grew up as a journalist in the era of progressive government. He says that ten years ago he imagined the matter a bit like in the movie "Spotlight", where brave Boston journalists expose the abuse of children in the Catholic Church.

"At the time, I was still disappointed because the prosecutor's office did not arrest anyone after my article, but I got over it. I no longer expect something like that," said Dojčinović for our newsletter Međuvreme.

But, he says, the texts hit like drops of water, persistently, and over time the stone breaks. "Awareness is being created that the government is connected to crime, after years of investigative media writing." Even the people who are on Vučić's side understand that, although they still justify it."

Ivana Milosavljević, a CINS journalist who infiltrated the SNS call center which was financed with black money. The government turned that story into a mockery.

"I wouldn't say I'm disappointed." Because, most of the time, I manage to inform people, and then my colleagues from other media spread it. It will not be right for me if the institutions ignore me, but I am returning my focus to the first goal that I fulfilled," says Milosavljević for Medjuvreme.

Only texts do not change society

Ivana Milosavljević believes that information, just like water, is unstoppable. They are transferred here and there, they become a topic at parties and in bars. There is also a way when the authorities play silly.

"My text will not change society, neither will five texts." But citizens can make a better decision tomorrow, for example in the elections," she says.

Dojčinović believes in something similar. Otherwise, he says, he would have left the stressful and demanding job of journalism.

"Maybe we're doing some things for the future." The government cleans up evidence and the past, documents are changed and cut, witnesses die, so it is important for investigative media to preserve the present. Maybe one day it will be important," he says.

"They're sick of reporting"

So far, he has been sued countless times, which is a convenient trick of the powerful - they drag journalists around the courtrooms, instead of them being able to do their job. But, from those encounters, Dojčinović learned something:

"When we meet those people in the courtroom, Dijana Hrkalović or Koluvija, you can see that they are hurt by the reporting." You're not just a mosquito that stung them, you actually hit them, even though they're protected. At least we manage to make a few people sweat, even though they hold the prosecutor's office and the police," he adds.

Both KRIK and CINS are addressed to their readers, and partly live on donations.

Ivana Milosavljević knows what kind of world she lives in and where the limits of journalism are, but she would not whine about it. He says that obstacles should be broken through.

"After all, what's the alternative?" Shall we all give up on investigative journalism and give them a free hand for breaking the law? Journalists should not lose their will because only then would we be in an even bigger problem."