Minister responds to US ambassador's concern about media

"Ambassador Scott, stop insulting Serbia, take a look at your own backyard first and then lecture others," Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin has said.

In a statement sent to Tanjug on Wednesday, Vulin in this way responded to US Ambassador Kyle Scott, who previously said he was concerned about the media situation in Serbia.

The diplomat spoke on Tuesday evening as he attended a ceremony for investigative journalism awards given by the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS), in cooperation with the US embassy in Belgrade.

In expressing his concern, Scott referred to the latest Freedom House report which said media freedoms in Serbia were declining.

NUNS has been giving these awards for 13 years now, and Scott in his address welcomed the organization's efforts aimed at ensuring "free and independent media and strengthening rights of journalists in Serbia."

"Energetic and free media are like the sunlight that purifies a democratic society from corruptive and excessive acts of authorities, so the United States supports these awards," the ambassador said.

Scott added that, according to the Freedom House report for 2018, the level of media freedom in Serbia has declined, and that Serbia is the only country in the region where there is a trend of weakening democracy.