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July manipulations

In July, CRTA recorded 207 manipulations on the front pages of print media and in the headlines of central news broadcasts - the highest monthly total since the start of the year. The dominant narratives were vilifying opponents and vilifying neighbours, alongside a marked rise in personality cult content.
08.08.2026.
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Vučić's addresses in June (31 addresses)

In July, President Aleksandar Vučić delivered 31 public addresses. They were carried by 216 local television channels and 123 national and cable channels. The addresses centered on infrastructure projects, the economy, the upcoming elections and energy policy, and were built around two dominant narrative threads: glorifying government policies and attacking political opponents.

31

addresses by President Vučić

216

local TV channels carrying his addresses

123

national and cable TV channels carrying his addresses

Manipulations in headlines and leads of central news broadcasts (July 2026)

In July, CRTA recorded 207 manipulations: 80 vilifying opponents, 68 vilifying neighbours, 31 personality cult, and 28 in other narrative categories.

1) Vilifying opponents - 80 manipulations

Topic: Jasmina Paunović, a retired prosecutor and candidate on the student electoral list, and the student-led blockade movement/opposition more broadly.
Examples:
Jasmina Paunović
  • "A brutal campaign of dehumanization has been launched against Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and his family. Retired prosecutor Jasmina Paunović, who is on the student electoral list of parliamentary candidates, announced a showdown with the president." (7/22/26; TV Prva, TV Pink)
  • "Shocking statement by a candidate on the so-called Student List, a new low! Jasmina Paunović: The first step after the elections will be closing the borders. She also took part in conspiracy theories and false claims about Vučić." (7/23/26; Kurir)
  • "Blockader Jasmina Paunović, in her attack on President Vučić, expressed hatred, xenophobia, racism, and misogyny, said Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić." (7/23/26; TV B92, TV Prva)
Students / opposition
  • "Brnabić and ministers launch a diplomatic offensive - Blockaders falsely claim the EU is suspending payments to Serbia." (7/4/26; Politika)
  • "Blockaders are promoting the 'genocide' narrative in Srebrenica." (7/13/26; Informer)
  • "Another outrageous fabrication from the plenum movement: Blockaders falsely claim that an SNS member has been arrested in Liberia." (7/24/26; Informer)
The category combined a targeted personal attack on a single opposition candidate with recurring claims casting the student-led blockade movement as dishonest and dangerous.

2) Vilifying neighbours - 68 manipulations

Topic: Croatia and Montenegro at the start of the month; later, Kosovo, following the demolition of Serbian-owned property near Gazivode lake.
Examples:
Croatia and Montenegro
  • "Scum and filth. A dirty political alliance in Podgorica. Spajić and Mandić struck a pact with Milo against Serbs." (7/7/26; Informer, Kurir, Alo!, TV Pink)
  • "We have lived to see this: They want to hang Serbs in Montenegro." (7/21/26; Srpski Telegraf)
  • "Croatian media admit the economy is worsening, while Vučić's Serbia records historic wage growth and full stability. While Serbia grows, Croatia is sinking." (7/24/26; Kurir, Alo)
  • "Croatian MEP rapporteur shows no sign of stopping - Picula attacks Serbia again." (7/4/26; Večernje Novosti)

Total manipulations

207

Dominant narratives

Vilifying opponents, vilifying neighbours


Kosovo:
  • "New terror against our people in Kosovo and Metohija, Kurti targets monasteries by licensing tour guides." (7/30/26; Politika, Alo!, Večernje Novosti)
  • "New terror in Kosovo and Metohija: Serbs, get out! Armed members of Kurti's special police secured the demolition of Serbian-owned property at Gazivode." (7/31/26; Kurir, Večernje Novosti)
As the month progressed, the framing shifted from portraying Croatia and Montenegro as hostile toward Serbs to presenting property demolitions in Kosovo as a coordinated campaign of terror against the Serb population.

3) Personality cult - 31 manipulations

Topic: Diplomacy - President Vučić's international engagements, including the Paris parade and a visit to Ukraine.
Examples:
  • "The president delivers political lessons every day: Vučić sticks his neck out where others would not even set foot. The journey from Paris to the Ukrainian capital, where at the summit he was once again, figuratively speaking, alone against everyone, will go down in history." (7/16/26; Srpski Telegraf)
  • "A huge honour for Serbia and its president - The mastermind of (geo)politics - Vučić at the parade in Paris, the only leader who is neither from the EU nor NATO - At the same time, Đilas attacked Macron; here is what bothers him: the procurement of Rafale fighter jets; the concession for Nikola Tesla Airport; cooperation related to nuclear energy." (7/14/26; Srpski Telegraf)
  • "Attack on those closest to us: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić says nothing like this has ever happened in Serbia's history. Blockaders want to destroy every Serbian family." (7/27/26; Kurir, Alo!, Srpski Telegraf)
  • "Serbia horrified by monstrous threats against the President. The President of all citizens chooses to forgive the man who threatened to slaughter him." (7/28/26; Informer, Kurir, Večernje Novosti, Politika, Alo!, Srpski Telegraf)
Coverage built a narrative of an indispensable, magnanimous leader, framing Vučić's diplomatic activity as historic and personal attacks against him as attacks on the nation itself. The category recorded its sharpest rise of the year, up from 23 manipulations in June, when it first emerged as a secondary narrative.

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