The Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection Mr. Rodoljub Sabic and the Ombudsman Mr. Sasa Jankovic believe that the attacks, such as the headlines in the Vecernje novosti daily newspapers about the President of the Anti-Corruption Council Ms. Verica Barac, are an attempt at influencing and pressuring the state control authorities to give up on investigating the corruption cases and other illegal activities against the interests of the citizens of Serbia.

The populist rhetoric against Ms. Verica Barac and the allusion about “the octopus that is trying to deceive and trick the people” are attempts to prevent the pinpointing of the real octopuses embraced by this society and its institutions, despite the fact that these octopuses are endangering the survival of the society as a whole, Mr. Sabic and Mr. Jankovic believe.

It is especially dangerous if, behind the perceived journalistic comments, special and personal interests are hidden and protected. The free operation of the institutions, which control the state authorities and protect the rights of citizens, is everywhere, even in Serbia, of vital importance for the establishment of the responsibility of the state authorities, the protection of the rights and the interests of the citizens, and for the strengthening of the rule of law.