REACTION OF THE NCEU REGARDING THE HARASSMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS

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.

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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.Asociation 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
62.Youth with Disabilities Forum
63.Association of Judicial Assistants
64.Association “Okular”
65.Centre for Investigative Journalism of Kruševac (CINK)
66.Local Front Valjevo
67.Association “UNEKOOP”
68.Ecological Movement of Vrbas
69.Civic Governance
70.Association of Primary Healthcare Managers in Serbia
71.SHARE Foundation
72.ASTRA – Anti-Trafficking Action
73.Committee for Human Rights in Niš (CHRIN)
74.Network of Committees for Human Rights in Serbia (CHRIS)
75.Autonomous Women’s Centre AWC
76.Group for Children and Youth “Indigo”
77.Centre for Social Dialogue and Regional Initiatives (CDDRI)
78.The Network of Organizations for Children of Serbia (MODS)
79.Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia
80.Association “Family Support SIDRO”
81.Prosecutors association of Serbia
82.Information Security
83.National Coalition for Decentralization
84.Citizens’ Association “Libero”
85.Belgrade Centre for Human Rights
86.Centre for the Development of Local Media
87.European Cluster Alpe Adria Pannonia, Novi Sad
88.Croatian Cultural Centre Petrovaradin
89.NGO Nexus
90.Union of Employers of Vojvodina
91.Organisation for Respect and Care for Animals (ORCA)
92.Child Rights Centre
93.Centre for Contemporary Politics
94.United Branch Trade Unions “Independence”
95.Friends of Children of Serbia
96.Trade Union of Doctors and Pharmacists of Serbia
97.Eco Centre
98.YUROM Centre
99.Permanent Conference of Roma Associations of Citizens “LIGA ROMA”
100.Initiative for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities (MDRI-S)