The Balkan newspaper that survived two world wars and a century of political turmoil

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Founded in 1904, Belgrade’s Politika holds the title of the oldest daily newspaper still circulating in the Balkans. While it has documented a century of regional history, its legacy is deeply complicated by periods of state control, propaganda, and a recent surge in reports of biased, unfounded journalism.

Launched in January 1904 by Vladislav F. Ribnikar, Politika began as a modest four-page publication with a circulation of 2,450 copies. Over the decades, it became a fixture of Serbian media, though its continuity was frequently interrupted by global conflict. The paper ceased operations during both World War I and World War II, with the longest hiatus lasting from 1941 to 1944. Its influence peaked in the late 20th century, reaching a record circulation of 634,000 copies on December 25, 1973.

The paper’s reputation faced significant scrutiny during the breakup of Yugoslavia. Under the influence of the League of Communists of Serbia and the leadership of Slobodan Milošević, Politika functioned as a tool for political messaging. During this era, it disseminated controversial claims, including fabricated accounts of atrocities and inflammatory narratives regarding ethnic tensions in Kosovo and Croatia. While the paper occasionally issued retractions, such as for a false report regarding a massacre in Vukovar, these incidents left a lasting mark on its editorial credibility.

Today, the newspaper is managed by Politika novine i magazini, a joint venture between Politika a.d. and the East Media Group, currently directed by Mira Glišić Simić. Despite its historical status, the publication continues to face criticism regarding its journalistic standards. In 2024, the investigative organization KRIK reported that the paper published more than 96 articles deemed biased or lacking factual foundation. This ongoing tension between its long-standing institutional authority and its modern editorial practices remains a subject of intense debate for observers of the Balkan media landscape.

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