2025-02-26

Reaction of the NCEU regarding the harassment of civil society organizations

National Convention on the European Union (NCEU)

The National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) condemns the raid by armed members of the Criminal Police Directorate on the premises of five civil society organizations, including NCEU members, without an appropriate court order. We believe this action, carried out under the orders of the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade under the pretext of verifying the spending of USAID funds, is politically motivated with the aim of intimidating and pressuring organizations and individuals who critically oppose the decisions and actions of the authorities.

At a time when citizens across Serbia are taking to the streets demanding the respect of the law and accountability of institutions, such investigations send a message that, instead of seeking to establish a dialogue, the authorities have chosen to intimidate and attempt to suppress critical voices.

We call on the Prosecutor’s Office to immediately clarify the legal basis for this action and provide a clear explanation of the criteria on which these organizations became the subject of the investigation, particularly given that no evidence has been presented to the public indicating that the U.S. authorities requested or initiated this investigation.

We also remind that the National Convention on the European Union (NCEU) has previously spoken out against the public targeting of organizations and individual NCEU members now included in this action.

Selective and politically motivated investigations against civil society represent a serious blow to fundamental civil rights and freedoms, undermine the rule of law, and are entirely contrary to European values, thus questioning Serbia’s further European perspective.

Therefore, we, the undersigned members of the NCEU, stand in solidarity with the organizations Civic Initiatives, CRTA, the Center for Practical Politics, the Trag Foundation, and the Youth Council of Serbia (KOMS), and express our full support for their activities aimed at building a better and fairer society based on fundamental European principles.

Members of the National Convention on the European Union:

1. Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP)

2. Centre for Ecology and Sustainable Development (CEKOR)

3. European Policy Centre (CEP)

4. International and Security Affairs Centre (ISAC Fund)

5. Centre for Sustainable Development of Serbia (CORS)

6. Centre for Advanced Economic Studies (CEVES)

7. Informatics Association of Serbia (DIS)

8. European Movement in Serbia (EMinS)

9. Foundation BFPE for a Responsible Society ( (BFPE)

10. Centre for Democracy Foundation (FCD)

11. Civic Initiatives

12. Institute for Territorial Economic Development (InTER)

13. Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)

14. Network for Rural Development of Serbia (MRRS)

15. Transparency Serbia

16. Centre for Judicial Research (CEPRIS)

17. Academic Initiative “Forum 10”

18. Institute for European Affairs

19. Centre for Regionalism

20. Institute for Corruption Research Kareja

21. Smart Kolektiv

22. Partners Serbia

23. Centre for Applied European Studies (CPES)

24. Association for Consumer Protection „Prosperity“ – Novi Sad

25. Vanja Savić, Independent Researcher, King’s College London

26. Public Policy Research Centre (CENTAR)

27. New Social Initiative (NSI)

28. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation

29. Advocacy Centre for Democratic Culture (ACDC)

30. Union of Organizations Dealing with Protection of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Serbia (USOP)

31. Association “Prevent”

32. Drug Policy Network South East Europe (DPNSEE)

33. Libertarian Club

34. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)

35. Institute for Development and Innovation (IRI)

36. Association DUGA

37. Centre for Democracy and Development of Southern Serbia

38. Nova Naša Reč

39. Novi Sad School of Journalism

40. Association “People’s Parliament”

41. Association “Hrast-Priboj”

42. TOC – Association for Sustainable Community Development

43. National Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health – POTENT

44. Association “Queer Front”

45. Užice Child Rights Centre

46. Centre for Interdisciplinary Balkan Studies (CISBalk)

47. NGO AKTIV

48. NGO Praxis

49. Branislav Gulan, Analyst and Publicist, Member of the Scientific Society of Economists of Serbia, Journalists’ Association of Serbia, Writers’ Association of Vojvodina, and Journalists’ Society of Vojvodina

50. Nature Conservation Movement of Novi Sad

51. Local Democracy Centre LDA, Subotica

52. Vojvodina Environmental Movement

53. Belgrade Open School (BOŠ)

54. Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence (ATINA)

55. Serbian Healthcare Informatics Association (UIZS)

56. Centre of Modern Skills

57. Women’s Leadership Academy

58. Group 484

59. Takovo News

60. Victimology Society of Serbia (VDS)

61. BIRODI