The ruling party is the main anti-system actor undermining Serbia’s constitutional order; it has no intention of improving the electoral process or ending harmful practices. On the contrary, in several areas it is attempting to legalise them. Amendments to criminal legislation cause more harm than good, the judiciary is under evident pressure, and it is no longer possible to speak of any operational autonomy of the police. Civil society is subjected to attacks and obstruction, even in areas related to support for victims of crime. These were the main conclusions of the discussion held on 2 December at the European House in Belgrade, marking the presentation of the new prEUgovor Alarm Report.
Over the past six months, Serbia has seen a deepening erosion of democratic order that distances the country from its ambition of joining the European Union, noted Jelena Pejić Nikić, prEUgovor coalition coordinator and event moderator. Presenting the key findings of the 25th prEUgovor Alarm Report, she highlighted stagnation or backsliding in key areas, alongside a number of alarming cases.
As deadlines approach, political compromises on specific solutions are made at the last minute, but their quality is questionable. Even more concerning is that new draft laws reduce previously achieved standards and pave the way for stronger repression, Pejić Nikić warned.
Đorđević: We live in a constant election campaign
Zlata Đorđević of Transparency Serbia stated that the recent local elections in Mionica, Negotin and Sečanj, as well as earlier ones in Zaječar and Kosjerić, demonstrate that the Serbian government has no intention of improving the electoral process. Recently adopted amendments to the Law on the Unified Electoral Roll will not solve issues such as misuse of public office during campaigns or media control.
“We live in a constant campaign; recommendations are not being implemented, and abuse of state resources and office-holder campaigning remain the biggest problems,” Đorđević stressed. “Elections and the work of parliament show that we are a captured state,” she said, adding that “this government no longer recognises any limits.” She concluded that the National Assembly’s role is “extremely marginalised.”
She pointed to the recent “authentic interpretation” of a special law that effectively legalised the demolition and handover of the General Staff building to a U.S. company as the latest example of the authorities carrying out their plans regardless of the rules. After pressuring the leaders of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments, an acting director was installed who falsified an expert opinion. When he faced criminal charges, the National Assembly took matters into its own hands and amended the law under urgent procedure—yet this still did not eliminate the unlawful actions.
Petrović: The ruling party is Serbia’s main anti-system extremist force
Predrag Petrović of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy explained that the organisation’s research indicates that the ruling party displays characteristics of anti-system extremism. These include, among others, daily violations of the Constitution and laws; the authoritarian narrative of the “Serbian World,” accompanied by conspiracy theories used to identify enemies; hate speech and incitement to violence against opponents; and organised violence by loyalists who are then protected from punishment. “This is an actor that governs through violence and intimidation,” he concluded.
He also addressed police conduct during local elections and mass protests. “We can no longer speak of the police having operational autonomy,” Petrović stressed. The police are not only expected to stand aside, but also to actively violate the law. “Repression is intensifying, and perpetrators are not punished but rewarded. The ground is being prepared for a serious crackdown on citizens, as certain units have shown complete loyalty and readiness to go several steps beyond the law,” Petrović warned.
Macanović: Citizens, too, have mobilised against harmful legal amendments
Vanja Macanović of the Autonomous Women’s Center warned about problematic amendments to criminal laws, particularly the Criminal Procedure Code, which she says directly undermines the prosecution as a body responsible for criminal proceedings.
She also addressed amendments concerning juvenile offenders and child victims. “The state has put forward a ‘new’ law that is not new at all—it was proposed over a decade ago and halted by the European Union due to the threat it posed to children’s rights,” she said. She also criticised the manner in which the amendments are being adopted, even though they are formally presented as part of the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.
She highlighted increased citizen mobilisation against harmful legal proposals, which prompted a reaction from the Ministry of Justice. As a result, the introduction of “sexual intercourse without consent” as a separate criminal offence was dropped, while a new offence—unauthorised sharing of sexual content—will be introduced. However, the final draft has yet to be published. Macanović noted that civil society is forced to deal with numerous strategies and draft laws that do not lead to meaningful change, while defending existing standards from proposed rollbacks.
Vukasović: The state is obstructing Astra’s SOS hotline for human trafficking victims
Marking the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, Tamara Vukasović of Astra spoke about trends in human trafficking. “A large number of workers arriving in Serbia find themselves in situations where they have no rights,” she noted. Regarding the long-announced Law on Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking and Protecting Victims, foreseen in the Reform Agenda, she said that “none of us has any expectations anymore.” She added that the topic of combating trafficking, especially involving children, is often misused for political gain without any real improvement of the situation.
Vukasović expressed concern that the state is obstructing the work of Astra’s SOS hotline for trafficking victims, which the organisation has run for nearly three decades, by delaying the licence renewal process for more than two years. “It’s a never-ending game—they always ask for one more document,” she explained. The problem, she said, is that the government has also misled international monitors, leading to Serbia’s removal from the U.S. State Department’s watch list, while the lack of public funding for specialised victim-support organisations is justified by the supposed absence of a licence.
The full prEUgovor Alarm Report is available here.
The conference was held with the financial support of the European Union.