Institutions and Oversight

The courts, prosecutors, and parliament are meant to function as independent checks on executive power. In Serbia, a set of judicial amendments introduced by ruling majority MP Mrdić has undermined both judicial independence and prosecutorial autonomy, drawing sharp criticism from legal experts and international bodies. Parliament, meanwhile, has continued to manipulate procedures, sideline the opposition, and rubber-stamp executive decisions rather than scrutinize them. This section documents how institutional power is exercised - and what it costs when institutions fail to function as genuine checks.

Amendments to Key Judicial Laws: Systemic Changes Without Public Consultation

July

On 20 July 2026, the Ministry of Education announced an extraordinary inspection into the procedure for amending the University of Belgrade Statute, following media reports of alleged irregularities in a Council vote on changing how a candidate for rector is elected. The move raises the question of where lawful inspection oversight ends and constitutionally guaranteed university autonomy begins: while the inspection may oversee the work of the University's bodies, the adoption and amendment of the statute fall within the university's protected right to self-organisation.

Interpol notified Serbian authorities that it would not issue international arrest warrants against six of the twelve Novi Sad students and activists charged with preparing acts against the constitutional order, a group that has spent sixteen months abroad in political exile. The organisation, which does not act in matters of a political character, assessed the case as political in nature. The report reached the Higher Court in Novi Sad and the defence, which announced it would again seek to lift the detention and the warrants so the six could return and attend their own trial.

On 17 July 2026, the European Commission published its 2026 Rule of Law report on Serbia. It found that legal amendments had removed safeguards for judicial independence and prosecutorial autonomy, that political pressure on institutions increased, that the safety of journalists deteriorated, and that civil society faced growing pressure. The findings underpin why Serbia's Cluster 3 was not opened.

Update

Education inspection into University of Belgrade statute change tests the limits of university auton...

Following reports about a proposed change to the rector-election rule, the Ministry of Education announced an extraordinary inspection - raising the question of where oversight ends and university autonomy begins.

Update

Interpol refuses Serbia’s arrest warrants for exiled Novi Sad activists, citing political case

Interpol will not issue international warrants against six students and activists in exile, assessing the case as political - a decision that places Serbia's prosecution in a markedly different context.

Update

The 2026 EU Rule of Law report on Serbia: reform on paper, not in practice

The report finds too little real progress to advance - against the backdrop of Serbia's stalled path to the EU

Update

Military analyst charged over sound cannon claims, sought after leaving Serbia

Aleksandar Radić, who first claimed a sound cannon was used on protesters, is charged with endangering the constitutional order and leaking secrets; prosecutors want him detained and sought internationally.

Update

A sitting minister invokes “ethnic cleansing” – and keeps her job

Snežana Paunović said she would have "ethnically cleansed" Kosovo in 1998. A week of condemnation from the EU, Kosovo, the opposition and civil society later, she is still a minister in Serbia's government.

Update

EU declines to open Cluster 3 with Serbia

Member states withheld the cluster despite a Commission note crediting Belgrade with "recent progress" - much of it the authorities undoing damage they themselves recently caused.

Update

Andrej Tanko given suspended sentence, appeal announced

Court in Pančevo convicted ETF student Andrej Tanko of obstructing a police officer during a 2025 protest; his defense calls the verdict politically driven and will appeal.

Update

MP questioned by police over tweet accusing Vučić of using a sound cannon

Zdravko Ponoš was questioned for ninety minutes over his March 2025 tweet on the alleged sound cannon, with police also asking about contact with military analyst Aleksandar Radić.

Update

The interrogations begin: journalist, military analyst, and lawyer questioned over sound cannon stat...

Following last week's announcement by the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office, the interrogations have begun. The first to be questioned over their public statements about the use of a sound cannon at the March 15, 2025 protest were military analyst Aleksandar Radić, editor-in-chief of Srbin.info Dejan Zlatanović, and lawyer and politician Aleksandar Olenik.

CRTA.Plus is part of CRTA’s work to document developments related to democracy, the rule of law, and accountability in Serbia.

Key Issues

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Institutions and Oversight

The Ministry of Education announced an extraordinary inspection into the procedure for amending the University of Belgrade Statute.

Interpol declined Serbia’s request to issue international warrants against six exiled Novi Sad activists, assessing the case as political.

The European Commission publishes its 2026 Rule of Law report on Serbia, citing increased political pressure on institutions and too little progress to advance EU accession.

Education inspection into University of Belgrade statute change tests the limits of university auton...

Interpol refuses Serbia’s arrest warrants for exiled Novi Sad activists, citing political case

The 2026 EU Rule of Law report on Serbia: reform on paper, not in practice

Military analyst charged over sound cannon claims, sought after leaving Serbia

A sitting minister invokes “ethnic cleansing” – and keeps her job

EU declines to open Cluster 3 with Serbia

Andrej Tanko given suspended sentence, appeal announced

MP questioned by police over tweet accusing Vučić of using a sound cannon

The interrogations begin: journalist, military analyst, and lawyer questioned over sound cannon stat...