*Prepared by Ridona Berisha
The bus of the "Polluzha Tours" travel agency was not attacked near Niš in Serbia, as reported by some media, but was hit by a bird while in motion.
On January 5, 2024, "Klan Kosova" published the news with the headline: "Passenger says Kosovar bus attacked near Niš," while the article included a statement from a passenger who was present at the scene when the bird hit the bus.
"At the entrance of Niš, they shot at us with stones, breaking the front window. Now, we are waiting for another bus," he said.
The same information was also shared by other news outlets, like: “Zëri.info”, “Kosova.info”, “Reporteri.net”, “Ballkani.info”, “Bota Sot”, “Fiks.al”, “Fiks.al”, “Periskopi”, placing headlines like "Serb hooligans attack Kosovar bus in Niš."
However, the owners of the agency denied these claims, explaining the situation of why passengers were asked to change the bus.
Selim Hoti, one of the company owners, stated that it was not an attack. "During the highway passage, a bird, such as a sparrow or hawk, hit the bus window," he said, adding that after this damage, the bus was not in a technical condition to continue to the destination.
After the clarification of the situation by the company owners, "Klan Kosova" published another article, through which it refuted the claim that the window of the "Polluzha Tours" bus was broken by Serbs in Niš, Serbia, broadcasting the same version as that of the owners.
The publication of such news that is not verified in advance by all sources can cause concern among citizens traveling through the territory of Serbia, considering the fact that it involves two countries where tensions still exist.
Fact-checking during reporting is a crucial element to ensure accuracy and reliability in information.
*This article is published as part of the Western Balkans Regional Initiative against disinformation. Western Balkans Anti-Disinformation Hub: exposing malign influences through watchdog journalism.
