Pressure on NGOs

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a statement expressing serious concern over the erosion of civic space in Serbia. He cited reports of voter intimidation, police raids on opposition premises during recent local elections, and growing pressure on independent journalists and media outlets. Türk called on Serbian authorities to guarantee freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and to conduct transparent, impartial investigations into human rights violations. The statement adds to a growing body of international scrutiny directed at democratic conditions in Serbia.

The entry of members of the Criminal Police Directorate (UKP) into the Rectorate of the University of Belgrade is a precedent that raises serious constitutional and criminal procedural questions, and calls into doubt respect for the autonomy of universities guaranteed by the Constitution.

In late November 2024, members of parliament from the Movement of Socialists - a pro-government coalition partner led by Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Vulin - submitted a draft law to the National Assembly that would require organizations receiving more than 50% of their funding from foreign sources to register as agents of foreign influence, disclose detailed information about their activities and finances, and submit to regular and ad-hoc inspections. Failure to register could result in fines of up to 17,000 euros. Although presented as a transparency measure, the proposal's broad definition of political activity, oversight mechanisms, and political context - including senior officials publicly describing civil society organizations as "foreign mercenaries" - drew comparisons to similar laws in Russia, Georgia, Hungary, and Republika Srpska, which have been used to pressure civil society and independent media.