From a „hit list“ to denying Montenegro: An obscure film about the referendum produced by an organization that targets critics of Vučić’s regime

„The centuries-old dream of uniting the Serbian people in one state has been shattered or, perhaps, postponed for some time“, is just one segment of the scandalous narrative presented in the announcement for a propaganda documentary film dedicated to the jubilee - 20 years since the restoration of Montenegrin independence, prepared by the Center for Social Stability, an organization linked to the regime of Aleksandar Vučić.

Already at the level of its title, „Referendum: A Story of Fabricated Freedom“, it is clear that this is a constructed, politically motivated work that dismisses the facts and standards of serious analysis of the most important event in Montenegro’s recent history. These intentions have also been recognized by numerous social media users who, in recent days, have criticized the attempt to revive and instrumentalize a democratic process for daily political purposes.

The announcement that the film will premiere on May 21 can hardly be a coincidence, especially considering the profile of the organization behind it.

The Center for Social Stability, founded in 2004, formally presents itself as a non-governmental organization dedicated to democratic and European values, while numerous media reports point to deep ties with government structures in Serbia, particularly with the Serbian Progressive Party and state institutions. Interestingly, one of its founders, Nemanja Starović, has been serving as Minister for European Integration since April last year.

As reported by the Nova S portal, practically since its founding, the Center has been tasked with the non-transparent targeting of opponents of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. This was especially evident during the student protests, when, through obscure content, they targeted numerous critics of the authorities.

Thus, in January, on the TV channels Informer, B92, and Prva, which are under direct government control, a dark film produced by this organization was broadcast, targeting Veran Matić, the president of the Managing Board of the Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM). This was followed by the publication of a list containing 44 additional names of public figures, mostly journalists from independent media and critics of the regime, who were marked as the next targets of their activities.

The list includes, among others, Antonela Riha, Vuk Cvijić, Marko Vidojković, Rodoljub Šabić, Tamara Skroza, Branko Čečen, Olja Bećković, Jugoslav Ćosić, Danica Vučenić, Ana Lalić Hegediš, Ksenija Pavkov, Zoran Kesić, Žaklina Tatalović, Milan Ćulibrk, Slobodan Georgiev, Filip Švarm and Stevan Dojčinović. Those who found themselves on this list described it as a kind of „hit list“, warning that such a practice amounts to placing a target on the foreheads of critics of Aleksandar Vučić’s regime.

In this context, and taking into account that the organization from Novi Sad has participated and continues to participate in projects that deny or relativize both current and past events, the new documentary film represents merely a continuation of an established pattern.

T. K.