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Disinformation and narrative control

Public discourse in Serbia is systematically shaped through aligned media, coordinated messaging, and the amplification of narratives that serve the ruling majority. CRTA's monitoring of RTS's flagship evening news program found President Vučić consistently portrayed in affirmative or neutral terms, while opposition parties and protest movements were minimized, framed as threats, or denied their own voice entirely. The term "color revolution" appeared over 10,000 times across ten online portals in ten months, as part of a coordinated effort to delegitimize civic mobilization. This section documents the key disinformation campaigns and narrative patterns shaping the information environment in Serbia.
June

In May 2026, CRTA recorded 134 manipulations on the front pages of print media and in the headlines of central news broadcasts across two active narrative categories. Vilifying opponents was the dominant pattern, with 71 manipulations targeting students and rector Vladan Đokić. Vilifying neighbours accounted for 34 manipulations, focused on Kosovo elections, Montenegro's independence anniversary, and Croatia.
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March

The results of CRTA’s media monitoring for the period from January to December 2025 show the continued dominance of negative coverage of the West, accompanied by a noticeable intensification of anti-EU narratives. Unlike the EU, which remains a constant target of negative campaigns, coverage of the United States has undergone a clear shift: in 2025, positive coverage increased only in the case of the US, while anti-American narratives declined.
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Media monitoring report 2025
February 2025

CRTA's analysis of Serbian media reporting throughout 2024 found clear and consistent bias - Russia and China were portrayed favorably across all types of media, while Western actors were predominantly presented in a negative light. The United States and Russia were the most frequently covered foreign actors, followed by the EU. Two-thirds of identified manipulations were anti-Western, while an additional 20% were classified as pro-Russian propaganda, with the majority of manipulative content originating from domestic media. President Vučić was the most frequently cited politician in coverage of foreign actors, with his statements predominantly used in reports portraying Russia and China positively. The only exception to the anti-Western pattern was EU coverage on economic topics, where reporting turned positive - particularly around financial assistance and energy cooperation.
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Heatmap of Vučić media appearances 2023 to 2025. Peak reached in Feb-Mar 2025
Update
May manipulations
In May, CRTA recorded 134 manipulations on the front pages of print media and in the headlines of central news broadcasts. The dominant narratives were, again, vilifying opponents and vilifying neighbours.
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Update
Media monitoring reveals: Systemic growth of anti-Western content alongside Vučić’s dominance in liv...
Throughout 2025, Serbian media consistently and systematically cultivated anti-Western narratives.
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Update
Conflict-driven coverage paints the EP delegation as hostile, not a partner
As the arrival of the European Parliament fact-finding mission to Belgrade (22–24 January) approached, the domestic public scene - from the officials to pro-government media - treated it less as an official mission and more as an “incursion” and a political provocation. The discourse was dominated by insults, delegitimisation, and openly hostile rhetoric toward MEPs, especially the EP rapporteur f...
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Update
Victory Day: Vučić’s Parade of Priorities
Prior to President Vučić setting sail to Moscow for the Victory Day Parade on 9 May, the media speculated at large about his well-being after an abrupt end to his U.S visit. Yet, the media did what it does best - revisiting its close proximity to Russia, pinning well-loved narratives of Russo-Serbian friendship and Serbia’s independent politics against the ill-meaning West. With key political powe...
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Update
Vučić: “Freedom for the heroes, prison for blockader terrorists”
Senior officials are portraying ruling party activists accused of beating students as “heroes,” while framing protest movements and their supporters as terrorists.
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Update
Đuro Macut: PM for dialogue – on Vučić’s side
The fact that Prime Minister-designate Đuro Macut is an unfamiliar figure to the broader public has given pro-government media room to quickly craft a portrait of the future Prime Minister. They presented him as a man “with an unblemished career” who could “ease the social crisis” and serve as a “bridge for dialogue between the government and students”. However, although portrayed as a non-partisa...
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Update
President Vučić attacked CRTA with a blatant falsehood – inventing €190,000 and once again abu...
It is false that CRTA supported a non-existent organization called “Let the Stinkers Go” with €190,000.
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Update
Media reporting bias on foreign actors in 2024
Media reporting in Serbia during 2024 has been characterized by a biased portrayal of foreign actors, with the dominance of propaganda and manipulative narratives that favor Russia and China while portraying the West in a negative light.
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CRTA+ is part of CRTA’s work to document developments related to democracy, the rule of law, and accountability in Serbia.
Crta @ 2025. All rights reserved.
Key Issues
Slučajevi Elections & Voting Integrity Civil Society Resilience Protests in Serbia Institutions & Oversight Media & Information Space
Other pages
Slučajevi Public Sentiment Serbia in Reports Reform Agenda Updates