Serbian political parties stage rival exhibitions

Yesterday, the Serbian Left Party opened its own counter-exhibition in response to Uncensored Lies, an exhibition of media articles by the ruling Progressive Party aiming to bolster the notion that there is no censorship of the country’s media by the government.

The new exhibition, entitled Censored Truth, was set up on the street directly in front of the Belgrade gallery where Uncensored Lies is taking place. According to the Serbian Left, Censored Truth aims to expose the continued existence of media censorship in Serbia, despite the claims of the Progressive Party to the contrary.

While the Progressive Party may have hoped to document what the party describes as unjustified attacks on the government regarding censorship, media watchdogs and a number of prominent figures within the Serbian media landscape have accused the party of instead adding to the pressures on the media by putting on a display of so-called journalistic “lies”.

At least two Serbian caricaturists, whose work was allegedly displayed without their permission at the original exhibition, say they may sue the party.

“I will consult with lawyers when I return from vacation before we file a lawsuit against the organisers of this exhibition,” one of the caricaturists, political caricaturist Predrag Koraksić Corax told the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, adding that he would consult with two other caricaturists whose work was displayed at the exhibition.

“We have been damaged on two accounts. There was abuse of our authorship rights but also we have been directly insulted since the title of the exhibition is Uncensored Lies,” the caricaturist stated.

Source: Balkan Insight