Monthly Highlights August: Ethnic discrimination, religious hate and hatred towards politicians and journalists

During the month of August, the RDN monitoring team detected a range of hateful narratives and discourse fuelled by religious hate, ethical tensions and hatred towards politicians and journalists.

Religious hate in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sanin Musa, leader of the “Faith. People. State.” movement and president of the Bosnian People’s Party, announced the arrival of 1,000 Muslims in Široki Brijeg to perform prayers at the same site where a Muslim woman had earlier been disturbed while praying in public. However, the police banned the gathering in the majority Croatian Catholic town, arguing the initiative had “a certain political connotation” beyond religious motives.

Several Herzegovinian portals and Facebook pages reacted with hostile, ethnically charged, and openly anti-Muslim rhetoric. One example includes Hercegovački portal who wrote on Facebook saying: “What shall we do, my Herzegovinians!? Sanin Musa announced a mass prayer in Široki Brijeg. He says he is coming to defend Islam” and later added: “In Široki Brijeg, prayers have always been and will always be made only to JESUS in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. AMEN!!!” Another portal, Vijesti Široki Brijeg, wrote a post which claimed: “Sanin Musa announced he is coming to pray in Široki Brijeg on Thursday. Just on the eve of the holiday. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, nothing happens by accident!” Meanwhile, the Domaljevac Diaspora page warned: “This is how wars start… This Musa wants to become popular… I don’t believe he will go to Široki Brijeg… He announced the arrival of 1,000 Muslims. Police are banning these gatherings… Musa should be arrested immediately.”

This type of rhetoric risks fuelling interethnic mistrust, deepening religious divides, and escalating local conflicts in a country still marked by the legacy of war. Rather than spreading hateful comments, posts and fuelling religious tensions, the media should use their platform to provide context, facts and unbiased information to the public.

Unethical journalism in Albania

An article published in media portal Prapaskena presented a a deeply concerning narrative related to the recent closure of News 24 television. At its core, it focused on alleged tensions between the station’s owner and central government authorities. However, it also goes far beyond reporting by engaging in inflammatory commentary, personal attacks, and the dissemination of hate speech.

One of the most serious concerns is the prejudiced and dehumanising language used throughout the piece, particularly in reference to the Albanian Journalists’ Association (AGSH) and its board members. The publication employs explicitly derogatory slurs traditionally aimed at the LGBTQ+ community, misappropriating them in a mocking and intentionally offensive manner. This framing not only reflects blatant homophobia but also seeks to discredit and delegitimise the association’s advocacy efforts by associating them with stigma and public ridicule.

Rather than offering any substantive critique, the text ridicules AGSH’s defense of media workers’ rights and implies that its members are acting out of self-interest or political alignment. It also accuses the association of manipulating public discourse, suggesting that its engagement in issues such as the Gaza conflict or the awarding of journalism prizes is performative or unethical. These claims are made without evidence and are presented in a sarcastic and hostile tone intended to undermine the integrity of the individuals and organisations involved.

Equally problematic is the broader rhetoric used to describe civil society actors in Albania. References to “various associations gathering to extinguish their internal fire” are clearly intended to belittle and dismiss legitimate advocacy work, framing such efforts as self-serving and disconnected from public interest.

The publication’s conclusion is particularly alarming, marked by intensified hostility and language that borders on incitement. It promotes a climate of contempt toward independent journalism, discredits the work of professional media organisations, and reinforces harmful social prejudices posing real risks to freedom of expression, press integrity, and the personal safety of journalists.

In its entirety, this is not a journalistic piece, but a targeted attempt to intimidate and publicly shame those who stand for press freedom and democratic accountability. The use of discriminatory language, especially slurs historically weaponised against LGBTQ+ individuals; demands urgent condemnation and institutional response.

Ethnic tensions in North Macedonia

In North Macedonia, two sports matches took place in the month of August which left an impression. The first involved a basketball match in Kumanovo between Macedonian and Romanian teams. During the match, a group of fans chanted offensive anti-Albanian and nationalistic slogans, prompting a prosecutor’s investigation and strong political reactions, while social media amplified extreme statements and threats targeting Albanians and political leaders.

The second match was a football game between teams Shkendija and Karabakh in Skopje. At the Shkendija–Karabakh football match, fans chanted nationalist and irredentist slogans such as “Greater Albania,” “Ilirida,” and “Chameria,” leading authorities to open investigations for public order disruption and incitement of ethnic tensions.

As a result of both matches, hate speech and commentary surged on social media including calls for ethnic exclusion, accusations of double standards and hate. Comments like these only serve to further fuel inter-ethnic polarisation. In a country like North Macedonia, characterised by its ethnic diversity, social harmony remains fragile. During high-stakes moments such as football and basketball matches, where tensions run high and competitive emotions intensify, hate speech and inter-ethnic conflicts can easily erupt. When these incidents spill over into online spaces, they serve to perpetuate and amplify existing divisions within society.

Hate towards politicians in Montenegro

At the end of July, the President of the Republic of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović, once again brought to Parliament the proposal to amend the Law on Property Tax. The President explained that certain articles of the proposed amendments are not compatible with the Constitution of Montenegro, the Law on Tax Administration, and the Law on Protection of Competition.

In reaction, a few days later, the Office of President Milatović announced that the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development, Nik Đeljošaj, had sent private messages that were inappropriate and contained threats. The accusation included that the Deputy Prime Minister claimed that the President of the State refused to sign the law “due to godfatherly ties with Nebojša Vuksanović, in order to obtain personal gain for himself and for Vuksanović.” In reaction, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Development Nik Đeljošaj rejected as untrue the claims by the Office of the President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatović. Đeljošaj further added that he did not threaten Milatović and even offered to publish the correspondence should Milatović not apologise for making the accusation.

Hate speech towards journalists in Serbia and Kosovo

During August, Serbia witnessed multiple incidents of journalist harassment and targeting, creating a hostile environment for journalists. Minister of Information Boris Bratina appeared on TV Informer, stating he was “tired of answering questions to slobs from Nova S and N1,” with a visual behind him displaying “Occupation of Media Platforms” alongside logos of Nova S, Danas, N1, and RTS. Though the minister later claimed he was “only joking,” his inflammatory rhetoric was one in many incidents of hateful messages and threats that N1 journalists have been receiving for months, especially on social media.

These threats equally translated offline with physical confrontations; in one case, while reporting from a protest outside the Novi Sad court, N1 journalist Lea Apro was attacked by a policeman despite identifying herself as a journalist and wearing a press vest, while her colleague Gordana Bjeletić was targeted by Pink and Informer during protests in Niš. Similarly, a Nova S correspondent testified that police accused her of “working for foreigners and against the state and the people.” Following these incidents, Informer and Pink devoted entire programs to attacking N1’s reporting, with Dragan J. Vučićević declaring that N1 and Nova S were leading a “bloodthirsty mob.” The harassment extended to serious death threats via social media, with N1, Danas, Nova S, and Insajder editor Brankica Stanković all receiving threatening messages on X, including one warning that “N1 started to burn” and referencing the Charlie Hebdo attacks. Stanković has been victim to serious threats with references to journalist Slavko Ćuruvija’s murder during the Milošević regime being chanted in sports stadiums for years. The same message was sent to her in a post on X this month.

Alongside national media outlets and TV stations, local media also came under attack, as the same individual who previously threatened Magločistač portal in Subotica sent death threats to IN Media’s editorial office in Inđija—an outlet that has faced intimidation and pressure since its establishment, with its editor-in-chief experiencing attacks for months. As a result, ANEM filed criminal complaints with the Prosecutor’s Office for High-Tech Crime. However, no institutional response has been reported or received, leaving journalists to operate in an unpredictable, unsafe and dangerous environment where they face daily physical and verbal attacks, even while wearing press vests.

In Kosovo, RTK employees had not received salaries for weeks as budget transfers were delayed by the post-election period when new institutions remained unformed. The financial crisis prompted protests by RTK staff, while management proposed borrowing over two million euros as a temporary solution. Against this backdrop, Fadil B. Hoxha, advisor to the Director General and president of the RTK Workers’ Union (SPERTK), engaged in a social media debate with journalist Astrit Gashi. In his comments, Hoxha used offensive and sexist language, writing: “Astrit, hopefully you’re not left living off your wife’s salary.”

Journalist Alba Merovci responded on her Facebook profile: “I’m glad you finally remembered that I, Alba Merovci Gashi, whom you refer to simply as ‘Astrit’s wife,’ work at RTK and am a member of the union you lead… Instead of reacting to the fact that I and 699 other colleagues haven’t received our salary for 2 weeks, you chose to use sexist and patronising language, denying me my name, identity and professional position, as if I exist only through my husband. This is pub language, not that of a union chairman. I have a name, I have a career, and I have a voice. None of these can be taken from me by someone like you,” Merovci wrote among other things. The Network of Women Journalists of Kosovo also reacted, demanding the suspension of the RTK Workers’ Union chairman: “Through language that belittles, mocks and ridicules a journalist through her husband – a classic tactic of institutional sexism – Hoxha not only makes clear his contempt for women in media, but also shows a tendency to undermine their professional legitimacy through low personal attacks,” the statement emphasised. Not addressing an individual by their given name and position, is a mere tactic of intimidation and belittling. Someone who is leader of a worker’s union should stand by values of respect and equality and not use their position and title to spread sexist, misogynistic rhetoric.