Original article (in Serbian) was published on 19/3/2026; Author: Milica Ljubičić
A fire that broke out on March 16 in waste material next to an elementary school building in the municipality of Kosjerić, Serbia, currently undergoing reconstruction, was used by the tabloid Alo to allege that “blockaders started the fire.” Alo cited a report by the news agency RINA, which relied solely on suspicions voiced by anonymous citizens. However, the Primary Public Prosecutor’s Office in Požega told Raskrikavanje that the cause of the fire remains unknown and that there are no suspects at this time.
On Monday, March 16, waste material caught fire in the yard of the “Mito Igumanović” Elementary School in Kosjerić, next to a part of the school building currently undergoing reconstruction. According to media reports published later that day, the fire was quickly extinguished and no one was injured.
Two days later, the tabloid Alo published an article in its print edition under the sensational headline: “Did blockaders set a school in Kosjerić on fire?”
Article published in the newspaper Alo (March 18, 2026)
The term “blockaders” is used by pro-government media and officials to refer to citizens protesting against the authorities in Serbia, as well as opposition supporters and activists.
In addition to falsely claiming that the school had been set on fire, Alo also speculated about who might be responsible for the incident.
Relying solely on the opinions of unnamed citizens, the tabloid suggested that so-called “blockaders” were behind the fire.
“Some citizens suspect that the fire at the elementary school was started by the so-called blockaders. However, the final word will be given by the police and a thorough investigation,” Alo stated in the final paragraph of its article.
The Primary Public Prosecutor’s Office in Požega told Raskrikavanje that the cause of the fire is currently unknown and that there are no suspects at this time.
“The duty prosecutor has been notified and has instructed police officers to establish all the circumstances of the incident,” the office said in a statement to Raskrikavanje.
Raskrikavanje also contacted the Ministry of Interior’s media service to ask about the progress of the investigation and whether the cause of the fire had been determined. However, no response was received by the time of publication.
An identical report about the fire in the schoolyard in Kosjerić was first published by the Regional Information News Agency (RINA). Unlike Alo, RINA’s headline stated that there was suspicion the fire had been “deliberately set.” In the final paragraph, it noted that “some citizens suspect that the fire was started by the so-called blockaders,” a claim later picked up by Alo two days later.
The RINA agency is owned by Ivan Nikolić, the son of journalist Gvozden Nikolić, who openly supports the ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The agency has for years secured part of its funding through public co-financing for media projects. In 2025 alone, RINA received funding for projects worth nearly 3.5 million dinars (around €29,000), according to data from the Serbian Business Registers Agency (APR).
Translated in English using AI tools, then thoughtfully refined by a human editor.
