POLITIKA. The History of Serbia's Oldest Daily Newspaper

Photo: Politika/public domain/Wikimedia and www.politika.rs

On June 10, 1903 (according to the Julian calendar, May 28), a May Coup occurred in Belgrade, Serbia. As a result, King Aleksandar I lost his life, and Peter I ascended to the throne. With the previous king`s death, the Kingdom of Serbia lost the century-old Obrenović dynasty and gained a new one: Karađorđević. The country`s challenge was that the former king was aligned with Austria-Hungary, while the new king leaned towards Russia and France—two sets of allies who were enemies of one another.

Against such a complex historical backdrop and with a king favorable to democracy and a free press, six months later, on January 25, 1904, journalist Wladislaw F. Ribnikar founded Serbia`s first independent newspaper, Политика (Politika).

Politika was not tied to any political party, a very innovative but risky concept, as there were 11 party-affiliated dailies at the time. Ribnikar’s venture was supported not only by his wife, who invested her heart and their marriage but also her entire fortune into the newspaper.

Ribnikar, half-Serbian and half-Slovenian, studied in Belgrade, Paris, and Berlin. He held a master`s degree in philosophy from the Sorbonne, but the May Coup prevented him from completing his doctorate in Germany. Returning to Serbia, supported not only by his wife but also by his two brothers, who joined him after completing their studies, Ribnikar opened an editorial office at 59 Kral Milan Street.

Unfriendly Opponents, a Suspicious Government, and… Enthusiastic Readers

The first issue of Politika had 4 pages, 4 columns, and featured:

• Дневне вести (Daily News),
• Фељтон (Feuilleton),
• A serialized novel,
• Страна политика (Foreign Policy),
• Телеграми (Telegrams),
• Радничка кујна (Workers` Kitchen),
• Књижевне вести (Literary News),
• Огласи (Advertisements).

The circulation was 2,450 copies, and the mandatory language was, of course, Serbian. Editor Ribnikar, in his first editorial, declared:

• The newspaper would remain independent,
• not succumb to the influence of any party,
• examine all public matters,
• observe and objectively critique government actions,
• accept criticism directed at it,
• consider various views and opinions.

Opponents predicted neither the newspaper nor its editor would last long, and the government immediately labeled it as OPPOSITION. Meanwhile, Ribnikar wrote:

It is more erroneous to believe that the independence of the press holds no value if it is not backed by a political group. Is truth any less true when spoken by one person rather than many? I hope that those not entrenched in partisan struggles will be allowed to express their opinions freely—not from one purely partisan perspective but from their deep convictions.


Despite the "ominous voices," Politika attracted a crowd of readers who cheered on its editor-in-chief and owner. The tone and content of the articles affirmed the newspaper`s declared principles, which appealed to readers. The paper included politics, but in a non-intrusive and objective manner. What garnered the most interest, however, was culture and "civic thought." Today, Ribnikar is credited with "laying the foundation for modern Serbian journalism."

The Editorial Team Hardened in Combat. Literally

He was not alone. With a group of friends and acquaintances who shared similar views, he created a professional editorial team that was open to the problems of the world and the country. Among the first editors were:

• Branislav Nušić, playwright, satirist, essayist, novelist, and creator of modern rhetoric
• Stevan Sremac, novelist
• Milutin Uskoković, short story writer
• Jefta Ugričić, poet, writer
• Nikola Stanarević, writer, economist

There were also many other prominent names as collaborators or occasional authors. The newspaper`s chief reporter was Jovan Tanović, and its finances were managed by the treasurer and administrator Dimitrij Disa Stevanović.

All of these gentlemen, apart from writing, were united by their fight in the Serbian army during the war against Bulgaria. This was also one of the main topics in the political section of *Politika*, alongside the Russo-Japanese War. News and topics increased, and by December, six columns were published. Advertisements were accompanied by engravings, and in 1905, *Politika* expanded its format.

The new and innovative newspaper attracted not only readers but also people who wanted to improve society. One such group was doctors, led by Wladyslaw`s brother, Slobodan Ribnikar. The doctor invested his savings into the emerging newspaper, and in December 1904, he joined its editorial team. His first article was published on December 16 and criticized the labor policies of MP Đorđe Genčić.

A few days later, he launched the column За здравље(For Health), where he introduced readers to complex medical issues in simple, understandable language. He wrote about hygiene, physical activity, prevention, and also included recipes for healthy dishes. He was also the doctor for his editorial colleagues, printers, and their families.

In 1905, the third Ribnikar brother, Davorin, known as Darko, a graduate of law from the universities of Jena and Berlin, joined the ranks of journalists. He was not only a journalist but also a reporter. His reports on the peasant uprising in Romania (1907) and the Friedjung trial in Vienna (1909) became permanent fixtures in Serbian journalism.

Thus, *Politika*, in the early 20th century, became a family newspaper, and within a few years, the most important daily in Serbia.

Politika Separates Truth from Slander. The Brothers Shed Blood

Wladislaw F. Ribnikar led the editorial team of *Politika* until 1914, adhering to his own principles and introducing new columns such as stock market news, Serbian court reports, economic advice, and a readers` letters section. Occasionally, engravings were added as a supplement to the text.

There were many topics to cover and comment on at that time: the Pig War, the economic conflict with Austria-Hungary, the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Austrians and their conflict with Russia, the Italo-Turkish War, and the Bulgarian attack on Serbia in 1913. Oh, things were happening in Europe at that time, culminating in the outbreak of World War I.

During this time, *Politika* grew in strength along with its circulation. It reached not only readers in Serbia but also those beyond its borders. As Bosnian-Serbian poet, writer, and diplomat Jovan Dučić wrote:

Politika is the first newspaper in Serbia that separated politics from slander, pagan jokes from cultural means of struggle, and quackery rhetoric from scientific argumentation.

When war broke out in 1914, everyone who had fought before rushed to the front, including the Ribnikar brothers. They left the newspaper in the hands of their colleagues, and all three went to the front. Slobodan, the doctor, managed military hospitals in Serbia, Greece, and France, and at the end of the war, he returned home—only he.


On August 31, 1914, as a result of a fatal wound on the front line at Ravni Brdo in Kulina, Davorin died in the presence of his older brother. His obituary appeared in *Politika* on September 2, and no one then suspected that the following day, Wladyslaw would be killed by enemy fire in the Battle of Rožnje. The obituary of the editor-in-chief was published on September 3. Jovan Dučić, mentioned earlier, said this about the brothers:

The two Ribnikar brothers shed blood as officers for the same reason they sweated as journalists, and their editorial colleagues, in a farewell article, wrote in their newspaper: In two days, two valuable victims, two wounds that cannot be overcome. In two days, “Politika” lost those who gave it soul and life, who raised it, and thanks to whom it is what it is today.

After the death of her husband and brother-in-law, the newspaper was taken over by Wladyslaw`s wife, Milica Čolak-Antić Ribnikar. To keep the newspaper afloat, she sold her jewelry. She also sold the family estate in Dedinje. At that time, *Politika* had only two pages, and the news was solely related to the war. In the masthead, Wladyslaw Ribnikar`s name continued to appear as the owner, director, and editor.

Politika Disappears from the Market. For Four Years

Milica led the editorial team until September 1915. The lack of staff, economic difficulties, and finally the Austrians in Belgrade all negatively affected the state of the newspaper and its employees. Milica made the decision to close the newspaper. First, she halted printing from November 17 to December 7, 1914, and on September 11, 1915, the last issue (4148) of Politika during the war was published.

After the war, the exiled journalists returned home to their newspapers. Slobodan Ribnikar also returned. He was a doctor, and although he participated in the founding of the family newspaper and later wrote for it, he was not among the core group of editors nor one of the main commanders.

When he recovered from his wartime experiences, he decided to revive the family business. On September 1, 1919, a new Politika appeared in Belgrade. It had 4 pages, 6 columns, and the next issue (4149) after the one from four years prior. In the first editorial article after the years, they recalled the founders, successes, and challenges that had been overcome. They promised to continue the guiding principles from before the war. Once again, there were serialized novels and advertisements.

Slobodan took on the role of director, while he entrusted the editorial leadership to two journalists. Miomir Milenović and Jovan Tanović as the duo of editors-in-chief led the newspaper until 1941. The new Politika appeared in a new country. From December 1, 1918, the Kingdom of Serbia no longer existed, and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (SHS) was under the rule of Regent and later King Alexander I Karađorđević.

The Most Influential Newspaper in the Country

In the following years, the newspaper gained new readers, and although not all citizens of the new country knew Cyrillic, the newspaper continued to be printed in the Serbian language, and the Milenović-Tanović duo expanded the commentary section, making Politika the most influential newspaper in the Kingdom.

The newspaper`s position was stable enough that Ribnikar decided to build a new headquarters. Dom Politike was inaugurated on January 25, 1922. Next to it, a modern printing press was built. Two years later, on November 18, 1924, the printing company Politika A.D. was launched.

Although Ribnikar was an active physician, he participated in the editorial life. He read all the articles prepared for publication and sometimes even intervened in their content. He carefully selected advertisements, novels, and texts from collaborators. He made institutional, organizational, and technical changes. Starting in December 1921, the newspaper had 4 columns and 8 pages, and in January 1922, regular graphics were added as supplements to the articles.


In March, a section was created for chess players, graphic advice for women, and caricatures and humorous drawings were printed for everyone, which were reprints from other newspapers. On October 3, 1923, this section received its permanent editor, Petar Pjer Križanić, an illustrator, but also a writer and essayist. It was in Politika, where he worked until 1950, that his most famous works were created.

On June 2, 1923, the first photographs were published. It was a report from the unveiling ceremony of the Unknown Hero monument on the Avala hill in Belgrade.

Thanks to Slobodan`s efforts, in 1924, Politika reached a circulation of 54,000 copies, which was a huge success, and its texts were reprinted in all the newspapers of the new state, as reported by the newspaper in a special issue from January 6-8, 1924.

Milan Gavrilović. The Power Behind Politika

On March 11, 1924, despite protests from colleagues, Ribnikar launched a new, expanded sports column under the heading Спорт. Up until that point, information on this field was very modest and scarce. The editor argued that: Politika should promote sports culture by introducing "challenges" and its own trophies in cross-country races, athletics, and hazen (a team game similar to handball).

Unfortunately, the war years had greatly affected the health of the director-doctor, and on September 24, 1924, he did not come to work. He died of a heart attack. The editorial team dedicated two pages to his memory, and his son, Wladyslaw S. Ribnikar, took over his role.

Although Politika in the 1920s had its directors and editors-in-chief, its real power was in the hands of Milan Gavrilović, a lawyer, politician, journalist, and a professional diplomat. From 1916 to 1923, he worked in Serbian embassies in London, Athens, Sofia, Rome, and Brno. He began his collaboration with Politika in 1912, writing a series of reports from the First Balkan War. In 1924, he refused a position in King Alexander I`s government and took the role of right-hand man to Slobodan Ribnikar in Politika. When the newspaper was taken over by Wladyslaw, Gavrilović became the shadow director, deciding not only on the editorial team but on everything that made journalistic sense.

The articles he wrote were published anonymously or under a pseudonym. Years later, the esteemed journalist of Politika, Predrag Milojević, wrote about him:

This anonymity was also one of the mysteries of his character: it did not hide him, but rather distinguished him even more. He had a brilliant style, short, punchy sentences, and sharp, precisely expressed opinions. Whatever Gavrilović wrote, it was always clear that he wrote it. Because no one else could write like Gavrilović. Every one of his articles sparked a strong reaction, either favorable or unfavorable, and often both. (Politika, January 23, 1979).

When the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was created in 1929 and Alexander I introduced dictatorship, Gavrilović openly opposed the king. With support from military circles and through their influence at the court, he fought for freedom of speech and press as outlined in the newspaper’s principles. Unfortunately, the power of the state was stronger, and the censorship introduced was very harsh. By early 1930, Gavrilović was forced to leave the editorial team. After his period of isolation, he returned to politics and diplomacy.

While Gavrilović was involved in politics at Politika, Ribnikar shone in the cultural sections and worked as a foreign correspondent. He visited several European countries, but his most interesting reports came from his trips to the USSR, a country that did not maintain diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia, but which fascinated the newspaper’s owner. In Moscow, he met the leadership of the Yugoslav Communist Party, and this sympathy would shape the newspaper`s stance after World War II.

Editorial Team of Committed Creators

The 1920s and 1930s in Politika were professional, artistic, and social times. The core editorial team was made up of people dedicated not only to their profession but also to society and the homeland. Among the staff and collaborators of that time were:

• Milutin Dimitrijević (Mića), journalist and playwright. From 1919 to 1939, he led the social column and the criminal section.
• Ivo Andrić, writer, poet, diplomat, and Politika collaborator since 1919. He published his novels and wrote columns here. In 1961, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• Grigorije Božović (Griška), writer, politician, a permanent member of the newspaper since 1924. He led the cultural section, and his works were known for their strong individuality, rich national language, vivid, powerful imagery, and high literary value.
• Predrag Milojević, journalist and translator. He started working at the newspaper in January 1923 as a collaborator for the Ситуација (Situation) column. He conducted interviews and later gained recognition as a judicial and political journalist. He wrote columns and also worked as a correspondent in Pest, Athens, and Rome.
• Borisav Stanković (Bora), writer, novelist, and storyteller. The best of the living Serbian storytellers, the strongest and purest blood (Politika, March 5, 1910).

The soul, common sense, and the heart of Politika was Dimitrije Stevanović (Čika Diša), the treasurer, economist, and administrative director. He was with the newspaper from its beginnings for four decades. Cheerful, even boisterous, overweight, with a thick mustache, he never left his post, even in the most difficult times. Sometimes he acted as a proofreader, advised young journalists (Write, but not too cleverly. Readers don’t like “big” jokes.), and kept an eye on everything that happened in the editorial office. He was affectionately called Uncle Diša.

advertisement
Among the distinguished gentlemen, in 1932, Selena Dukić appeared at Politika. She was like a spring storm, warm, loud, and carried by the wind. She wrote artistic and travel reports. Her most famous work came from a trip to Jerusalem, Христа ради (In the Name of Christ) (Politika, April 23-24, 1934). In 1935, it was discovered that she had tuberculosis. She used this experience to write columns about health and her illness (Tuberculosis doesn’t hurt, but it forces you to think.) She continued working, writing about women’s rights. She passed away in November 1935 at the age of 26.

Selena Dukić was not the first woman in the Politika editorial team. As early as 1904, the first Serbian librarian Marija Maga Magazinović published her columns in the newspaper. She was also the first woman at the Belgrade University Faculty of Law, graduating in 1904.

Since 1926, Anđelija Bunuševac Bingulac worked full-time. She wrote in the Женска страница (Women’s Page) column about women’s issues, children, and their upbringing, about forgotten female artists, and general emancipation. She was the second woman in Serbia, after Queen Maria, to pass the driving test. She mainly drove a motorbike with a sidecar, often for commissioned reports. Her colleagues said she was the only lady in the editorial team who achieved complete equality with men. She worked at the newspaper until 1931 and returned after World War II. After Andelija, her sister Radmila Bunuševac Dedinac took over the editorial role, regarded as the first professional female journalist in Serbia. Her husband Milan Dedinac was also a journalist at Politika.

Under the leadership of Wladyslaw (the grandson) Ribnikar, Politika became a national newspaper, and its journalists were not only witnesses to events and conveyors of news but also translators, commentators, researchers, and, above all, creators in the true sense of the word.

Unofficial Journalism School

The 1930s in Serbia were a time of constant unrest. National clashes with Croats or Macedonians were not good for the country’s overall situation. The new constitution of 1931, instead of supporting the young democracy, significantly limited it. The assassination attempt on King Alexander I and his death became the main topic in October 1934, but comments and opinions were printed in Politika for many months. When the Yugoslav government began cooperating with Italy and Germany, where fascism was already in power, Belgrade’s journalists voiced their objections.

On nearly 20 pages, not only in columns and articles but also in engravings, photographs, caricatures, and satire, they expressed their concern about everything happening in the country and Europe. Alongside journalists Slobodan Jovanović and Vladimir Ćorović, politicians and diplomats such as Miloš Crnjanski, a former collaborator of the Central Press Office (press attaché) in Berlin, and Živojin Balugdžic writing under the pseudonym XYZ also contributed their texts.

During this time, Politika developed its own style and form. It created a sort of unofficial journalism school, operating according to its own, mostly unwritten but well-known guiding principles. It was a world newspaper with full news coverage, both domestic and international. The sections for women, theater lovers, and literature enthusiasts were managed professionally and with a touch of humor. Fans of intellectual entertainment had access to a weekly crossword, and the section Туђи хумор (Other People’s Humor) was full of international cartoon jokes. The newspaper was the most widely read and influential publication in the domestic media market.

Faithful to its principles and foundations, Politika entered the 1940s and the time of World War II. Just as it had in 1915, in April 1941, when the April War broke out, the invasion of the Axis Powers on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, it suspended publication. The last pre-war issue appeared on Sunday, April 6.

New Politika in the New Yugoslavia

The silence lasted until October 1944. Belgrade was liberated on October 20, 1944, and the very next day, Wladyslaw Ribnikar gathered 15 journalists and 60 printers to release the first post-war issue of Politika on Saturday, October 28, under the new number 11798. On the second page, in the editorial article Нова политика у Новој Југославији (New Politika in the New Yugoslavia), Ribnikar wrote:

And the first roses on the graves of those who fell in the battles on the streets of Belgrade have not yet withered, and freedom is revealed in its most noticeable form – in the freedom of public speech. The reborn, rejuvenated “Politika” is again coming out under the same old roof. The newspaper had 6 pages, 5 columns, and looked like it did years ago. The printers kept the brass logo, and the journalists, led by the owner, preserved the traditions and passion for writing.

advertisement
The new times forced the old newspaper to change its direction. The principles from four decades ago had to be altered. The editorial team adopted the ideology of the liberators. This was not a very problematic matter, as Ribnikar had cooperated during the occupation with Josip Broz Tito, who became the leader of Yugoslavia. It is no surprise that the first page of the first issue featured a report on the victory parade titled Први говор маршала Тита у слободном Београду (Marshal Tito’s First Speech in Free Belgrade). The following issues carried a similar tone, but they also featured articles and pictures closer to home, such as those about the looting of Politika’s newly renovated headquarters by Belgrade residents.

The Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, as the country was named after the war, was the only country in the Eastern Bloc not dependent on the USSR. Tito, as the liberator of the people, formed a government, and Politika became the government newspaper.

For the following years, the newspaper officially belonged to the Ribnikar family, as indicated by the rectangle next to the title with the owners` names, but in the main editorial team, new editors, more or less connected with the League of Communists of Yugoslavia, took their place.

Wladyslaw Ribnikar, who was appointed to the government as the Minister of Education, remained the director of Politika. Over the years, he chaired the Committees for Culture and Art, Cinematography, and was even a member of the Executive Board of the UN and UNESCO, but he always remained at the helm of his newspaper. When he left Belgrade, he became a correspondent, leaving behind a trusted editor in the newsroom. From 1949 to 1950, these were Milojko Drulović, and from 1951, Danilo Purić. The latter took over the editorial position for a longer time, as Wladyslaw Ribnikar passed away on December 1, 1955, at the age of 55.

Comics Under Censorship

In 1952, Ribnikar revived the newspaper’s supplement Забавник Политикин (Politika`s Entertainer). The first issue of this satirical publication was released on February 28, 1938. It had 12 pages, a Berlin format, and two colors: black and white. It included comics, humorous drawings, short stories, and columns. Among many domestic comics, those with characters from Disney cartoons often appeared, though with Serbian names. The magazine`s title was invented by the readers themselves.

After the war, the communist regime banned the publication of comics. It wasn`t until the Informbiro period (the split between Stalin and Tito) that cartoons made a comeback. On January 5, 1952, the first post-war issue of Забавник Политикин was released. An anecdote says that the Athens representative of Walt Disney Company suggested to Tito that comics return, and Tito replied, Why not? I like Donald Duck. Thus, Забавник returned to readers, and its editor-in-chief was Stojiljko Stanković. Забавник Политикин became known as a weekly for everyone from 7 to 107 years old.

Danilo Purić, collaborating with Mirko Tepavac, who became editor-in-chief in 1965, and under the careful guidance of the Ribnikar family, managed the newspaper smoothly and without major problems. They worked with journalists, writers, and authors not only of Serbian but also Croatian (Viktor Novak), Bosnian (Zuko Džumhur), and even Romanian (Vasko Popa) descent. They expanded the network of correspondents, with the leading role played by Miroslav Radojčić, who had been with Politika since 1945. His domain was news from London and New York.


In 1958, Purić launched the family magazine edition Илустрована Политика (Illustrated Politika). The first issue was published on November 11 and sold out in a few hours. This publication is still in circulation today.

In 1964, Politika became the first in Yugoslavia to boast a printing press for producing color magazines. The first colored issue was a women’s magazine Политика Базар (Bazar Politika). The premiere of the first specialist magazine for women in Yugoslavia took place on December 15, 1964, and was a great success.

The Third Generation of Ribnikars at Politika

In 1967, when Milojko Drulović became the editor-in-chief of Politika, another, fifth, Ribnikar appeared in the editorial team. Davorin Darko W. Ribnikar was a descendant (grandson and son) of two Wladyslaws, the owners of Politika. He graduated in law from Belgrade and did postgraduate studies in the USA. Even before leaving for the United States, he began collaborating with the newspaper of his ancestors as a correspondent (April 1, 1962).

Upon his return, he worked in various sections, from city news to domestic and international reports. In 1977, he became the editor-in-chief of Забавник and in 1981, returned as a correspondent, this time in the Middle East, and from 1994 to 1996 in the USA. Thanks to him, Politika had one of the best foreign sections among Yugoslav newspapers. He was present where history was made, conversing with people who created it: Turkey (1978), Poland (1978), Egypt (1983). Between 1990 and 1994, he wrote extensive reports from conferences on Yugoslavia held in The Hague, Brussels, Luxembourg, Strasbourg, Paris, and Geneva. In 2001, he returned permanently to the editorial office, taking on the position of general director. He introduced modernity (offset printing), color (2003), and celebrated its 100th anniversary. He began working as a co-owner with the German press giant WAZ (West Allgemeine Zeitung), forming the company Politika novine i magazini.

Darko was a listening, collaborating, and helpful leader. He spent 45 years at Politika, but at the end of his career, he was removed from the paper without any severance pay. The newspaper’s management at that time also broke the agreement made on March 12, 1997, with the Ribnikar family, changing the newspaper’s graphic design and removing the founders’ and directors’ names from the front page. Over the years, the descendant of the family fought to restore the names of his grandfather, his uncles, and his father.

And although the court ruled that the publisher of the newspaper "Politika" is required to return the names of the founders and directors from the Ribnikar family to the newspaper’s masthead, as well as its original appearance, and cease further violations of the personal rights of the author of the newspaper`s headline... this decision was not implemented, and appeals dragged on for years. Although the masthead now included the founding date of the newspaper and Wladyslaw Ribnikar’s name as the founder, that was all. It wasn’t until just days before his death in January 2021 that Darko learned that the Serbian Supreme Court upheld the original decision.

In Defense of Politika Against Pushy Politics

The 1960s and 1970s were a time of flourishing economy for Yugoslavia. Foreign investments, convertible currency, passports at home. However, after Tito’s death, the Yugoslav machine started to creak. The same was true for Politika.

Milojko Drulović and Vukoje Bulatović, who took over the editorial leadership in 1974, made Politika a newspaper of the people. In December 1973, its circulation exceeded 634,000 copies, which was quite an achievement. But it wasn’t just the unconventional and non-invasive approach to politics that attracted readers. The editorial office became a kind of cultural salon, hosting famous writers, musicians, and movie stars like Claudia Cardinale and Sergei Bondarchuk (1979). This resulted in wonderful interviews, and in 1981, the weekly Интервју (Interviews) was created, which for 17 years provided readers with engaging conversations with personalities from all fields of life. At the same time, a health magazine Вива (Viva) also came into circulation.

It was also here that iconic figures were born, such as the Serbian Asterix, the comic character Starosloven Dikan (1969). The comic, created by Lazo Sredanović, entertained both young and old for decades. Its main base was Забавник, but the lovable hero often appeared in the pages of Politika, delivering current political messages.

Bulatović led Politika until 1982, defending journalism from crude political functionalism, allowing full creative expression through high-quality writing and quickly advancing young professionals. Although this often led to misunderstandings, he remained steadfast in his belief that he would never sell out to politics or become its commissioner in the newspapers. (NIN, 2001).

Unfortunately, he was forced to step down, and his place was taken by Živorad Žika Minović. Those who once labeled Tito a dictator and Politika as his government arm softened their stance when true communists like Slobodan Milošević began to rise to power, and his supporters began taking positions in Politika’s editorial chair. Milinović was the first in this group.

Time of Propaganda and the 90s

Minović allowed the Milošević regime to turn Politika into a weapon of populist propaganda. He introduced hate language and contempt for all nations other than the Serbian one. To this end, in July 1988, he launched the column Одјеци и реагоњаниа (Echoes and Reactions). In the editorial articles, he supported attacks on Albanians and Kosovo, the Great Serbia policy, and the fight against Serbian enemies. Croats were referred to as Ustaše and fascists, Slovenes as ingrates, and Muslims as Islamists dreaming of jihad.

Not everyone in the editorial team supported such arrangements, and the number of journalists slowly decreased, but even the staunch supporters of the new government began to change their stance on the rulers and their views on Serbia and the country. In the 1990s, he emerged as a rebel and accuser. Critical articles increasingly appeared in Politika, and on March 10, 1991, an open letter was published to Dobrica Ćosić, the then first president of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in which Vuk Drašković, the leader of the SPO, the party leading the March 9 protests, criticized him for the tense situation in the territory of former Yugoslavia.


Criticism rained down on Minović. Not wanting to escalate the situation, he resigned from the editor-in-chief position but remained as the director of the entire publishing house. Minović also had some positives associated with the newspaper. A nice gesture for the supporters of the growing digital world of those years was the magazine Свет компјутера (World of Computers), whose first issue was released in October 1984. It was a special edition but quickly gained the interest of especially younger generations and gained its independence. Today, it also has its own website.

Minović also appreciated fans of intellectual games. In 1990, he launched the family magazine Хупер (Hooper), featuring crosswords, puzzles, riddles, and stories about favorite stars. In 2006, the magazine changed its concept and shifted towards alternative culture. The last issue appeared in December 2008.

Also in 1990, on May 17, just before the FIFA World Cup, the Спортски журнал (Sports Journal) was released. Daily updates on a variety of sports disciplines have been appreciated, especially by men, to this day. The weekly Politika also began appearing in April 1990, later changing its name to International Weekly a year later, continuing for three more years.

When Milović resigned as editor-in-chief in 1991, his place was taken by Aleksandar Prija. This was the time when individual countries of the federation began to wake from their lethargy, and Politika began preparing its readers for war. In May 1991, it reported: Плитвице су српска земља (Plitvice is Serbian land) and Вуковар је одсекао град (Vukovar, the cut-off city). A year later, it wrote about the mass crimes against the Serbian population in Bosnia and Herzegovina. And although the battles for one’s own were fierce, most of the information was false, for which they would later apologize.

Rebellion, Strike, and Arrests

The situation across Yugoslavia was tragic, and some newspapers, including Politika, were caught in the fires of war. However, Belgrade’s newspaper also took its individual editorial stand during this time. In the summer of 1992, a government decision was made to convert the publishing company AD Politika into a public (state-owned) company. This time, journalists stood shoulder to shoulder and declared a strike. The newspaper did not appear for the third time in its history... but lost to Serbian politics. Although the strike had an effect at the time, five years later, in 1997, Politika became a joint-stock company and effectively became state-owned and controlled by the government.

In January 1994, when Boško Jakšić took over the editorial chair for a few months, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), formed by Serbia and Montenegro two years earlier, had been established, and Politika was once again only a Serbian newspaper. Armed conflicts involving the Serbian army led to the development of anti-war movements and protests by the population. Politika generally supported the government’s actions, although some journalists, supported by the publishing director, tried to oppose these measures, leading to repercussions. In November 1995, the police stormed Politika’s building and arrested Živorad Milović. Miloš Mišović wrote about the situation in VREME on April 27, 1996:

It is known that the police seized some issues of Politika due to texts unfriendly to the regime, but even during the six-year dictatorship, the police never crossed the threshold of Politika to arrest any of its journalists. Well, now this tradition has been broken... The President of the Politika Company was held in detention until a more trustworthy person was appointed to replace him through forced legal machinations.

That trusted person was Hadži Dragan Antić. Antić had joined Politika on May 1, 1978, but in the technical division. He had no ties to journalism, and some claimed he had no education at all. However, he had great ambitions and aspirations to become someone great. In 1979, he joined the army, and in 1982, he returned to the editorial office with a firm resolve to write. He was assigned to cover religious affairs.

Supported and pushed by Aleksandar Prija, in 1993 he became the acting editor-in-chief, and from September 1994, he officially became the head of the editorial team. Although not a member of the ruling party, he was a close associate of Milošević, and rumors circulating in Belgrade suggested that he was in a close relationship with his daughter Marija. After Živorad Minović’s arrest, Antić also became the director of the entire publishing company. At that time, Politika lost the rest of its supporters, who believed that things could be better.

How to Restore a Good Name?

In the following years, the newspaper condemned those protesting the disputed municipal elections (November 1996 - February 1997), supported the actions of the Serbian army in Kosovo (1998-1999), blamed NATO for the deaths of civilians during Operation Allied Force (the bombing of Belgrade), but the most critical articles appeared during the Bulldozer Revolution, the protests that led to the fall of Milošević’s government in October 2000.


It was also then that Antić’s career at Politika came to an end. His place in the editorial office was taken by Vojin Partonić. Partonić, like the entire team, was uncertain about the future, not only of the newspaper but the entire publishing house. He was at the helm until July 2001. In the meantime, Davorin Darko V. Ribnikar, the last journalist from the renowned family, returned to Politika, determined to restore its good name and steer it towards freedom of speech and independence. New Serbia – New Politika.

When Ribnikar resumed the role of general director, the company Politika AD not only owned newspapers and magazines but also its own radio and television. The RTV Politika company operated from June 28, 1990, until December 3, 2010.

Unfortunately, Ribnikar inherited significant debts, totaling 90 million German marks (Germany introduced the euro on January 1, 2002). Despite the good intentions of the management and editorial team, a conflict arose. Ribnikar wanted to combine the roles of director and editor-in-chief, but the editorial team disagreed. He then removed Vojin Partonić from the position of editor-in-chief and replaced him with Milan Mišić, which caused dissatisfaction among the journalists.

Vojin Partonić, although surprised, summarized the situation as follows: The role of editor-in-chief is a "transitional episode" in a journalist’s career. I am a journalist of Politika, and that’s how I’ll remain... He moved to the foreign department, and Milan Mišić took charge of the main editorial office, leading the newspaper until 2005.

Mišić had joined Politika as a student in 1971. A year later, he was already an intern. He learned the journalistic craft under the watchful eye of journalists like Zoran Žujović and Dragoslav Rančić. He underwent his baptism of fire by reporting on Gaddafi’s “green revolution” in Libya and a coup in Ethiopia. In the following years, he worked as a correspondent in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia. He reported on the war in Cambodia.

He was the first Yugoslav journalist to report on the assassination attempt on Indira Gandhi (1984), the first journalist from Serbia to report on the war in Afghanistan in 1989, and the first to visit Guantanamo, the U.S. base in Cuba.

In 1986, he returned as a correspondent to India and then to Japan. He returned to Serbia in 1992 but left Politika in 1996 in protest against the government’s strong influence on the newspaper. He returned in 2000 after Milošević’s fall.

He became the head of the foreign affairs department. It was under his leadership that Politika began publishing in color (2003), and he also celebrated the newspaper’s 100th anniversary (January 2004).

He was deeply interested in technology, globalization, and contemporary phenomena, and he addressed these topics in his columns. Despite disagreements, in 2001, he was again nominated by his editorial colleagues to become editor-in-chief in 2009, but he left for the USA, once again as a Politika correspondent. Besides his regular reports, he wrote two series of columns in the Saturday edition in the cultural section, Америчка авенија (American Avenue), and in the Sunday Откривање Америке (Discovering America). He retired in 2014, still a writing journalist.

Milan Mišić and Darko Ribnikar restored Politika’s good name, and in 2005, they handed it over to female leadership. The new editor-in-chief of Politika became Ljiljana Smajlović.

The First Woman at the Helm

The editor-in-chief began her journalism career in 1978. She worked in several newspapers in various positions and also had a scholarship in the USA. Before becoming the head of Politika, she worked as a columnist for Недељне информативне новине (Weekly Informative Newspaper). She was the first woman in the 100-year history of Politika to hold the position of editor-in-chief. During her three-year tenure, she tried to maintain the direction set by her predecessor. She became famous for her critical articles about NATO’s actions and the Serbian government. She accused both institutions of doing nothing about Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić. She also had to comment on the collapse of the friendship with Montenegro and the formation of the Republic of Serbia, which was the main topic in June 2006.

Unfortunately, during her time at Politika, a conflict with Darko Ribnikar erupted over changes to the newspaper’s image. The names of the founding directors were removed, and the title font, which had been in use for over a century, was changed. The details of this decision were described in a blog post by Slavko Živanon from October 28, 2019:

The Politika board, after a heated discussion, decided by majority vote to remove the names of its founders, the Ribnikar brothers, from the front page. This decision was made without valid and reasonable reasons, despite the strong opposition from the Ribnikar family and a large part of Belgrade’s and Serbia’s cultural and intellectual society. The Politika headline with the names of its founders, the Ribnikar brothers, had never been an obstacle to any previous regime, whether monarchist, communist, socialist, or transitional.

The decision was made under significant pressure from some of the owners, i.e., the government. On January 24, 2007, Politika was released with a new look. A scandal broke out. Ribnikar not only left the company but also took the matter to court, which made the following ruling:

The defendant “Politika novine i magazini” d.o.o. is required to print the first page of the newspaper “Politika” based on the layout that looks the same as the first page of the newspaper “Politika” until January 24, 2007, under the threat of financial penalties and a ban on printing newspapers under the title “Politika” within 15 days of receiving a copy of the ruling.


However, this did not result in any change, and on October 1, 2008, Ljiljana Smajlović was removed from her position. She returned on July 1, 2013, but resigned three years later on July 4, 2016:

My resignation is a protest against the management, which prevents the editor-in-chief from running the editorial office independently. I assume that the management would not have adopted an adversarial course against the newspaper and the editor-in-chief if they did not have the support of the owner... she wrote in a letter to the editorial team and board.

Mounting Troubles

Before Smajlović returned to Politika, the position of editor-in-chief was held by Radmilo Kljajić (2008) and Dragan Bujošević (2008–2013). During Bujošević`s tenure, the newspaper faced further problems. In 2012, the media group WAZ, which owned 50% of the publishing house’s shares, sold them to the Russian company East Media Group, which had been established just a few months earlier. This triggered speculation and rumors. The trail led to Serbian businessman Miroslav Bogicević, who was reportedly the owner of the company and bought Politika at the request of Serbian President Boris Tadić. The news caused an uproar. The Commission for the Protection of Competition froze the newspaper`s shares starting in 2014, and those in the editor-in-chief position became merely acting editors.

Upon her return in 2013, Ljiljana Smajlović was involved in another financial episode. Aleksandar Rodić, the owner of the Serbian tabloid KURIR, claimed that in 2011, he signed a contract to buy Politika from WAZ. He paid off the newspaper’s debts but, under pressure from the government, sold the shares to Bogicević`s company, although he didn’t receive the full amount of money, making him still a partial owner of Politika.

Despite financial troubles and internal struggles, Politika was delivered to its readers on time. Journalists took care of their audience in all sections, maintaining quality and form. Politika was (and is) the most popular newspaper in Serbia. While its circulation was 45,000 copies in 2016, which may not be a staggering number, considering that there are just under 7 million Serbs, and since July 2006, the newspaper’s website has attracted a large readership, this is still a decent result.

After Ljiljana Smajlović left Politika, Žarko Rakić took over in August 2016, but by October, readers expressed dissatisfaction with the new editor-in-chief. Rakić was one of the few journalists who had dedicated his professional career to one newspaper. He joined Politika in 1979 and spent 42 years there before retiring in 2020. He was mainly connected with the foreign affairs department and served as a correspondent in Austria and Germany between 1991 and 2001.

In October 2016, just three months after taking over, Rakić removed the popular cartoons by Dušan Petričić from the front page of the Sunday edition. As it turned out, he not only removed them but severed ties with the artist. The reason for this decision was that the cartoonist had not adhered to the newspaper`s editorial policy.

I cannot agree that Mr. Petričić criticized the Prime Minister and went too far in doing so. He is not an independent shooter. If you work in one medium, you must follow its editorial policy. I asked him to draw less about Vučić, but after this conversation, he behaved even worse than before – said Rakić on N1 TV, January 22, 2017.

A similar fate befell Danica Popović, an economist and university professor, who had long collaborated with Politika. Popović refused to change the title of her column, which read Good Dictator. In the same TV program, when asked about this issue, Rakić explained his decision:

The author can insist on not changing a comma in the text, but the title, subtitle, and illustration are the responsibility of the editorial team. Ms. Popović is a scientist, not an editor, not a journalist... He added at the end of his statement: “Politika” has changed, and for the better, which is visible in the economic indicators. Those who do not agree with what “Politika” writes can buy other newspapers in the kiosk... No one has the right to criticize “Politika” because they do not think like him.


Well, every editor-in-chief has their own vision for the newspaper and brings it to life. Under Rakić`s leadership, Politika fared quite well and remained a leader in the media market. It has actively participated in the lives of its readers, promotes Serbian culture, and awards prizes such as Ardalion in the field of theater, which has been part of Serbian life since 1996, and the international Politika Award (for direction at the BITEF festival), awarded since 1994.

Unexpected Change

The journalists of the newspaper are not afraid to tackle difficult topics, such as gender change, which was discussed by Miša Durković in his article Нема више мушко и женско (There Are No More Men and Women) (Politika, December 16, 2016), sparking discussion and debate in the newspaper, or corruption in customs services (Politika, December 21, 2017).

The Family Doctor section, led by Olivera Popović, takes care of readers` health, such as in 2019 when she explained what COVID-19 is and how to protect against it, while Dejan Aleksić keeps his finger on the pulse of Belgrade, reporting on what is happening in the capital.

In January 2020, Politika celebrated its 116th anniversary. The more significant anniversary the year before had been canceled due to the pandemic. There was cake and congratulations.

The past year was difficult, but we managed to keep pace with the market. We hope to continue cultivating the values and traditions that have been established. It won’t be easy, but we are counting on the enthusiasm and energy that was present when "Politika" was founded in 1904, said Žarko Rakić at the birthday reception, and in September, he left the editorial office, leaving it in the hands of his deputy Marko Albunović, a younger generation journalist, which surprised the staff and the public.

As noted by Vladimir Radomirović, president of UNS, as well as a journalist and former deputy editor-in-chief of Politika: To my knowledge, the Assembly of PNM (Politika Novine i Magazin), which is the only one authorized to select the editor-in-chief, has not met for years, and thus Politika only has an acting editor-in-chief, which is not good for both the editor and the editorial office. Since the government of Serbia still controls the shares of Politika [and the official owner of East Media Group is unknown], PNM still has an opaque ownership structure.

The Oldest Newspaper in the Balkans with a New Perspective

In September 2018, the Center for Investigative Journalism in Russia started the process of shutting down East Media Group, which further complicated Politika’s situation. However, by May 2022, the newspaper had a new co-owner. The Serbian company Media 026, owned by Boban Rajić, bought the shares from the Russian company, promising that it would strive to preserve and improve the brand of the oldest newspaper in the Balkans and that it would not influence editorial policy.

As reported by Novosti on May 25, 2022: Thanks to this transaction, 50% of the shares in Politika, the oldest and most influential newspaper in this part of Europe, have passed into the hands of a domestic company that has successfully managed a significant media brand for years. The purchase of PNM will resolve the decade-long issue of Politika`s opaque ownership.

There is much talk in Belgrade about Politika`s debts and its privatization. Several lawsuits have been ongoing for years. Marko Albunović has one year left in his term. Who will be next, and will Politika withstand such a roller coaster? And as of today, let’s edit a bit of the text from Aleksandra Kurteš of ADVERTISER-SERBIA.COM:

In a gown woven and adorned with current events, reports, commentaries, columns, reviews, notes, and photographs depicting events, the oldest newspaper in the Balkans celebrates its latest anniversary.

Politika`s Timeline:

• 1904, January 25 - the first issue of Politika was published
• 1905 - the newspaper’s format was enlarged
• 1914, November 17 - December 7 - printing was suspended
• 1915, September 11 - complete suspension of Politika
• 1919, September 1 - Politika resumed publication
• 1922, January 25 - the opening of the new newspaper headquarters and modern printing press
• 1922, January - first graphics appeared with the text
• 1922, March - first caricatures and humorous drawings
• 1923, June 2 - the first photographs were published
• 1924, November 18 - the launch of the publication Politika A.D
• 1938, February 28 - the first issue of Забавник Политики
• 1941, April 6 - the last issue during World War II
• 1944, October 28 - the first post-war issue of Politika
• 1952, January 5 - the first post-war issue of Забавник Политики
• 1958, November 11 - launch of the family magazine Илустрована Политика
• 1964 - Politika was the first to have printing presses for color printing
• 1964, December 15 - the first women’s magazine Политика Базар was launched in Yugoslavia
• 1969 - the comic character Dikan appeared
• 1981 - the first issues of magazines Интервју and Вива
• 1984, October - the first issue of Свет компјутера
• 1988 - the launch of the hate-filled column Одјеци и реагоњаниа
• 1990-2006 - the magazine for intellectual entertainment Хупер was published
• 1990-1993 - Politika published in English
• 1990, May 17 - the premiere of Спортски журнал
• 1990, June 28 - December 3, 2010 - RTV Politika operated
• 1992 - a strike in the editorial office
• 1995, November - the police stormed the editorial office
• 1997 - the government became the owner of the publishing house
• 1997, March 12 - an agreement with the Ribnikar family to maintain the unchanged newspaper header
• 2001 - West Allgemeine Zeitung became co-owner of the newspaper
• 2002 - offset printing introduced
• 2003 - Politika switched to color
• 2004, January 25 - Politika’s centenary
• 2006, July - the newspaper’s website was launched
• 2007, January 24 - the newspaper’s rebranding and removal of the founders` names
• 2012 - the new owner of the newspaper became the Russian company East Media Group
• 2022, May - Media 026 became the new owner of the publishing house.

Sources:

• https://ljudipolitike.yolasite.com
• https://www.slovenska-biografija.si/oseba/sbi506141/#slovenski-biografski-leksikon
• https://www.tipometar.org/reprint/DrvoPikselII/iFramesCir/Text.html
• https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politika_(novine)
• https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/
• https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/408238/Pero-zamenili-puskom
• https://sanitasklinik.com/blog-biografija-doktor-slobodan-f-ribnikar.php
• https://www.011info.com/beogradjani/radmila-bunusevac-dedinac--prva-zena-profesionalni-novinar-u-srbiji
• http://cejsh.icm.edu.pl/cejsh/element/bwmeta1.element.ojs-doi-10_11649_sn_2014_026
• https://nuns.rs/sporna-glava-politike/
• https://www.politika.rs/scc/clanak/205741/Sutra-uz-Politiku-Galerija-velikana
• https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/309133/Politika-ponovo-pred-citaocima
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6yK37jskQE
• https://www.rts.rs/lat/tv/rts-digital/2188613/trezor-vernik-svog-poziva---miroslav-radojcic.html
• https://n1info.rs/vesti/preminuo-davorin-darko-ribnikar/
• https://stanjestvari.com/2021/01/23/milan-misic-darko-ribnikar-novinar-iz-slavne-loze/
• https://www.nin.co.rs/2001-11/15/20705.html
• https://www.vreme.com/vreme/iz-licnog-ugla-sudbina-igraca/
• https://www.danas.rs/vesti/politika/gresnik-i-pokajnik-zika-minovic/
• http://www.nin.co.rs/pages/article.php?id=33136
• https://crnaknjiga.com/ljudi/hadzi-dragan-antic/
• https://stanjestvari.com/2021/01/23/milan-misic-darko-ribnikar-novinar-iz-slavne-loze/
• https://stanjestvari.com/2020/07/04/sud-kaznio-politiku-jer-nije-vratila-staro-zaglavlje/
• http://arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs/arhiva/2001/07/14/srpski/D01071316.shtml
• http://www.audioifotoarhiv.com/Prijatelji%20sajta/MilanMisic1.html
• https://www.istinomer.rs/akter/ljiljana-smajlovic/
• https://izmedjusnaijave.rs/суд-политика-неовлашћено-2007-године/
• https://www.novosti.rs/ekonomija/vesti/1119995/politika-dobila-novog-vlasnika-media-026-kupila-50-odsto-najstarijeg-dnevnog-lista
• https://www.istinomer.rs/akter/zarko-rakic/
• https://www.cenzolovka.rs/drzava-i-mediji/radomirovic-vlasti-odgovara-da-politika-nema-uticaj/
• https://nuns.rs/preduzece-media-026-novi-vlasnik-50-odsto-politike-ko-je-boban-rajic/