- summary
- OCCRP and KRIK publish audio recording of conversation between United Group CEO Stan Miller and Telekom Srbija CEO Vladimir Lučić discussing strategy to weaken N1. Recording confirmed authentic by United Group. Key verbatim (Lučić): "President Vučić asked Nikos to replace only Aleksandra Subotić, not the directors of N1, as he was aware that it is difficult now to change the director of N1." Key verbatim (Miller): "I can't fire Aleksandra today... I have to make that company in Serbia very small, if you understand me, and separate it." Recording documents presidential authorization of media capture plan communicated through state company CEO (Lučić/Telekom). Vučić spokesperson denies interference. Prosecutors subsequently order KRIK to hand over recording — target: identifying whistleblower rather than investigating presidential interference. MFRR: "If you listen to it you will hear media freedom being dismantled in front of you."
- country
- Serbia
- date text
- 27/08/2025
- entities
- Aleksandar Vučić; Vladimir Lučić (Telekom CEO); Stan Miller (United Group CEO)
- entity type
- Government Official
- id
- 961
- name
- Aleksandar Vučić; Vladimir Lučić (Telekom CEO); Stan Miller (United Group CEO)
- role
- actor
- N1 Television; Aleksandra Subotić (United Media CEO); independent journalism
- entity type
- Individual Organization
- id
- 962
- name
- N1 Television; Aleksandra Subotić (United Media CEO); independent journalism
- role
- target
- Aleksandar Vučić; Vladimir Lučić (Telekom CEO); Stan Miller (United Group CEO)
- sources
- citation
- OCCRP August 27 2025 (https://www.occrp.org/en/scoop/telecom-chief-and-united-group-ceo-in-talks-to-weaken-serbias-last-independent-broadcaster); OCCRP audio recording (https://www.occrp.org/en/news/audio-recording-reveals-united-group-and-telekom-srbija-ceos-discussing-undermining-serbian-broadcaster); MFRR September 2025 (https://www.mfrr.eu/backroom-deals-to-silence-independent-media-in-serbia/)
- tactics
- State-Directed Media Ownership Capture
- label
- State-Directed Media Ownership Capture
- code
- TC-38
- needs review
- false
- role
- primary
- State-Directed Media Ownership Capture
- narratives
- Political Interference
- label
- Political Interference
- code
- NF-09
- needs review
- false
- role
- primary
- Foreign Agent / Foreign Influence
- label
- Foreign Agent / Foreign Influence
- code
- NF-01
- needs review
- false
- role
- secondary
- Political Interference
- campaign ids
- campaign phase
- Phase 1: Authorization
- channels
- Foreign State Media
- civic response
- OCCRP/KRIK publish recording; MFRR condemns; EFJ writes to BC Partners; EU Commissioner Marta Kos condemns pressure; 200 alerts against journalists documented by Mapping Media Freedom by Sep 4 2025
- consequence category
- Social Trust Erosion; Legal/Administrative
- created at
- 2026-09-24T17:50:55.358311+00:00
- date precision
- day
- escalation
- 1
- harm track
- Both
- id
- SRB-065
- institutional consequence
- Presidential authorization of N1 capture documented; plan to dismiss Subotić and restructure United Media confirmed; KRIK ordered to hand over recording (Oct 2025)
- notes
- PRIMARY AUTHORIZATION SIGNAL for SRB-CAMP-013. Most documented presidential media interference in database — audio confirmed authentic. SCOPE BOUNDARY: Adjacent to Playbook core — media infrastructure. Lučić/Telekom thread: same actor as SRB-053 (Kurir/Mondo acquisition) and SRB-063 (media law). Cross-ref SRB-CAMP-012: Telekom instrument used for both CSO delegitimization (Kurir) and independent media capture (N1).
- occurred on
- 2025-08-27
- signal ids
- trigger type
- TR-02: Civic Mobilization
- updated at
- 2026-09-24T17:50:55.358311+00:00
- version
- 1
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