Help journalists and their families hit by the floods in Serbia

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Consequences of one of the biggest natural disasters in the contemporary history of the Western Balkans – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia – are worsening day after day.

International solidarity is necessary to help hundreds of thousands families that had to leave their homes, villages and cities and are facing an uncertain future.

In addition to joint appeal with Red Cross for all affected citizens, the Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (IJAS) has launched an appeal for solidarity with journalists and other media professionals who live in the flooded areas. We have been joined by the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina and Association of electronic media.

IJAS is currently collating data regarding affected journalists in towns of Obrenovac, Ljig, Petrovac on Mlava, Ub, Banja Koviljaca, Sabac, Kostolac… Our colleagues and their families, as other citizens, need urgent help.

“So far, IJAS managed to locate 42 colleagues who had to leave homes and, together with their families, seek shelter in collective camps or from friends.  However, in some towns communication channels are barely working, we still don’t know how many more journalists need help. “- said Vukasin Obradovic, IJAS president.

Some media outlets and colleagues have already started donating the solidarity Fund. An average journalists’ salary in Serbia is 300 EURO so donations may be modest, but are extremely valuable and appreciated.

We appeal to all journalists associations, unions and willing citizens in Europe and around the world to show solidarity and help colleagues in Serbia by donating to our Fund.