Belgian Journalist Allowed to Stay in Serbia after Protest

Philippe Bertinchamps, a correspondent for various French-language media, was granted a temporary one-year residence permit by Serbia on Monday after Reporters Without Borders, RSF complained that he had been threatened with expulsion for being an "obstacle to public order and national security".

"They called me an hour ago and I was granted a visa. I still cannot believe it. They did not say anything to me, they said they had some 'new elements', not specifying what kind, but because of these 'new elements' I am no longer a threat, but a reputable citizen," Bertinchamps told Serbian website Raskrikavanje.

The RSF website had expressed concern earlier on Monday after Bertinchamps was denied the residence permit.

"Reporters Without Borders, RSF, condemns the decision and alerts international opinion to his plight, which follows an increase in harassment of journalists in Serbia," it said.

Before the permit was belatedly issued, Bertinchamps told Raskrikavanje that he believed he was no longer welcome in Serbia because of his "critical writing about the situation in the country", adding: "I do not want to leave Serbia. I'm not a spy, not a criminal."

Raskrikavanje wrote that Bertinchamps has been in Serbia for ten years and has written numerous critical articles about the Serbian authorities and about corruption in the country.

"I have never made fake news, I did not insult anyone, I checked my sources and information. I cannot understand how my reporting can jeopardise Serbia's national security," Bertinchamps insisted.

The Serbian Interior Ministry, MUP, and the Security Agency, BIA, were unavailable for immediate comment.

But RSF reported that Bertinchamps was previously summoned twice by the BIA...