Protests in Serbia: Media Strategies and Public DiscontentCEFR B1
3 Oct 2025
Adapted from International and Security Affairs Centre - ISAC, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Stefan Kostić, Unsplash
AI-assisted adaptation of the original article, simplified for language learners.
On June 28, protests in Serbia brought together many citizens, particularly students, who expressed dissatisfaction with government policies. These protests were the result of prolonged public frustration regarding political corruption and poor governance. Although most protests were peaceful, pro-government media created a negative narrative by labeling participants as 'hooligans' and suggesting they were acting on foreign influence.
This framing aimed to discredit the protests by portraying them as a threat to national stability. Pro-government sources often manipulated historical tensions, especially involving Croatia, to create fear and divert attention from internal issues like corruption.
The media's approach indicates a broader strategy of maintaining political power through fear tactics and misinformation. By degrading civic protests and presenting them as dangerous, the government attempts to justify repressive measures against dissent. In the long term, this undermines democratic values and risks greater social unrest.
Difficult words
- protest — A public demonstration of objection.protests
- government — The group in charge of ruling a country.
- corruption — Dishonest behavior by those in power.
- dissent — Disagreement with authority or policies.
- narrative — A spoken or written account of events.
- media — Forms of communication, like news and TV.
- stability — The state of being steady and unchanging.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How do protests affect political change?
- What role does media play in shaping public perception?
- Why is it important to address issues like corruption?
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