Serbian Nationalists Target BIRN Staffer for Defending Baker

Serbian right-wingers have begun a concerted campaign against BIRN project coordinator Sofija Todorovic since she defended the rights of an ethnic Albanian baker in her hometown of Borca - himself the subject of nationalist attacks - sharing hate speech, insults and threats to her on social media and attempting to hack her account on Twitter.

"I have received lots of threats on my social networks and, sadly, I do not feel comfortable or safe enough in the place where I was born and where I currently live," Todorovic told BIRN.

"But for me the option was not remain silent while all aspects of a life of an innocent man are threatened with this shameful and dangerous campaign," Todorovic added - explaining her public advocacy of an Albanian baker who has been subject to nationalist intimidation in Borca.

Todorovic has a long history of work in human rights activism. Before joining BIRN, she worked with the Youth Initiative for Human Rights.

Following everything that has happened to her lately, she has said she will file an official complaint with the Serbian police.

Serbian ultra-nationalists recently started to target the Albanian baker in the Belgrade suburb of Borca, which is also Todorovic's hometown.

Mon Gjuraj became a target of nationalist fury after right wingers on Facebook re-posted a two-year-old picture of his cousin posing with a hand gesture in the shape of a double-headed eagle - the national symbol of Albanians.

On April 27, nationalists gathered in front of the bakery, shouted nationalistic slogans, played Serbian patriotic songs, put stickers reading "Kosovo is Serbia" on the windows, and threw pig's heads at the bakery - a reference to his being a Muslim. A similar event was organized again on May 4.