The WAZ media group stated that it has decided to close shop in Serbia and pull out of the country gradually.

WAZ President Bodo Hombah sent a “confidential letter” to President Boris Tadić, asking him to help the company by making sure that its exit from Serbia is fair and legal – according to a statement from the company.

WAZ will be selling its stake in Serbian companies with concrete conditions and prices, while preserving the economic rights and interest of the groups, the statement added.

WAZ also denied claims that it had set conditions for this move, and stated that it “hoped that it will not be leaving Serbia on a bad note, despite great difficulties and public slander”.

WAZ is a German newspaper and magazine publisher. In Serbia, they have a stake in Belgrade's Politika and Novi Sad's Dnevnik newspapers.