Soon after N1 TV published a video of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Backa Eparchy's priests banning N1 TV from covering an event at its premises on Monday, the Eparchy published a statement on its website with unfounded accusations in interpreting of the dialogue between an N1's reporter and the Eparchy's officials, saying the crew wanted to enter the church's yard without permission or accreditation.

“The N1’s crew tried to enter the temple on their own and do what they want to in line with their permanent chase against the SPC,” adding an Eparchy’s official asked them decently to respect the sanctity of the church and the prayers for the victims of fascism.

The memorial service for the victims of a World War II raid in Srbobran, the northern province of Vojvodina’s town, was held on Monday with the provincial’s officials’ presence and upon the invitation Vojvodina’s authorities. No accreditation was asked for.

One of decent messages to N1 crew was the advice to “complain to the Water Supply Company,” a usual sarcastic answer in Serbia to the question which one should complain to for an injustice.

Besides, a priest said: “N1 is not welcome on the Backa Eparchy’s properties. Enter, and we’ll see whether you violate the law.”

“We believe that this powerful media house will misuse the filmed material and adjust it to its basic construction – that SPC doesn’t allow media to ‘do their job,’ and thus „deprive Serbia’s people of being timely informed.’ That is untrue,” the statement said.

It added the Eparchy hope N1 and “its affiliated media” would change their “so far inappropriate way of working and obtain in advance all necessary permits and accreditation for covering the SPC-organised events.”

The Monday’s event was a public gathering to which the Provincial Prime Minister’s and the Assembly Speaker’s office invited the media without any accreditation, the same as it was every previous year for the same memorial service.