A series of reports by Amnesty International exposes Serbia’s "Digital Prison", a widespread surveillance campaign targeting journalists and civil society. In this interview Jelena Sesar, researcher at AI, takes us inside this prison
After decades of unfulfilled promises and months of protests against President Vučić, many in Serbia no longer see the EU as a sincere interlocutor truly interested in the democratic future and human rights in the country. A bitter comment from our correspondent
The oceanic demonstration on Saturday, March 15 in Belgrade was repeatedly obstructed, with buses and trains cancelled and groups of fake students "wanting to return to class" supported by veterans of the infamous Red Berets
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has been calling for a generic "fight against corruption" for twelve years. Until a few weeks ago, this was just empty rhetoric. Now, to calm the protests, some arrests have been made, but they remain unconvincing and the protests are not subsiding
Protests in Serbia continue. On March 1st, a new protest was held in Niš. With a bit of irony, students issued the “Students’ edict”. Vučić reacted harshly, attacking the students and the media outlets that cover the demonstrations
Two different countries and two different realities were seen on the streets of Serbia last weekend. On one side, tens of thousands of students and citizens marching from city to city calling for the rule of law; on the other, the faithful of President Vučić, transported by bus and train at the expense of taxpayers
Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen is the new EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. The appointment was welcomed in Pristina, but the outlook for the future of the negotiations remains murky
The protest, initiated by students, has been spreading like wildfire throughout Serbia thanks to the energy and intelligence of young people, triggering changes. Fear has changed sides and this is the greatest achievement of the student movement so far. A comment
An analysis of the ongoing protests in Serbia, the skill of students in organizing the demonstrations, the differences with the protests of the 1990s and 2000s, and the possible risks of the absence of a long-term plan and strategy
The absence of EU flags at anti-government demonstrations shows that accession has become a divisive issue in the candidate country. Interview with Srđan Majstorović, president of the board of the European Policy Centre (CEP)
In Serbia, the mobilisation and popular protests against corruption and for justice for the victims of the collapse of the roof of the station in Novi Sad continue. A detailed account of the last few days
Balkan Orthodox monasteries like Bukovo and Tvrdoš preserve centuries-old winemaking traditions, producing high-quality wines while supporting local communities and maintaining their cultural heritage
In Serbia, the investigative newspaper KRIK is the target of frequent legal harassment. To counteract it, the editorial team has developed strategies based on civil society solidarity, public denunciation and monitoring of trials
More than a year ago, the Israeli invasion of Gaza began. In the countries of the former Yugoslavia, governments and civil society have reacted differently. If governments – with the exception of Slovenia – have all but sided with Israel, civil society organisations have organised protests and demonstrations in favour of Palestine
Amid a systematic erosion of editorial independence by the government, stronger international support is needed to uphold media freedom in the country. An interview with Igor Božić, news director of the independent N1 TV
On November 1st, the roof of the Novi Sad station - recently rebuilt by Chinese companies - collapsed, causing 14 deaths and dozens of injuries. Thousands of citizens took to the streets, giving rise to protests that also turned violent
Chapter 22 on cohesion policy is one of the most complex negotiating chapters Serbia has to deal with for EU accession. In this interview, Dragana Djurica provides crucial insights into the critical role of civil society, the importance of regional development, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead
To contribute to the European Commission’s Rule of Law monitoring, OBCT, in partnership with SCiDEV and IJAS, produced two Shadow Reports outlining the challenges and gaps in media freedom in Albania and Serbia. The main findings were presented during a webinar
Conceived as an alternative to EU cooperation, the Open Balkan initiative, promoted by Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia, aimed to create a regional common market to allow the free movement of goods, services, capital and people. The reasons for its failure
From being criticised for his unconventional wines to finding them in the cellars of top Michelin-starred restaurants, Oskar Maurer is a reference for natural wine production in Serbia. We spoke to him about his winemaking philosophy and much more
Climate change is affecting wine production around the world. Adaptation and resilience are the only answers to this ever-changing situation. Radovan Đorđević, owner of Vinarija Čokot, is facing this situation in the Serbian region of Župa
Media outlets in the country are increasingly exposed to cyber attacks, online threats and manipulations. We talked about digital security and its impact on independent journalism in Serbia with Bojan Perkov, digital policy coordinator at SHARE Foundation
Despite various reports of migration mismanagement and human rights abuses in Serbia, the European Commission at the end of June signed an agreement with Belgrade to strengthen cooperation on migration control
Are the Western Balkans becoming a mine of raw materials needed for the upcoming “green revolution”? Civil society organisations and many citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and North Macedonia answer resolutely: NO! The battle to protect the environment and health continues
Increasing political and financial pressure threatens the independence and editorial autonomy of many media outlets in Serbia. We interviewed Irina Milutinović, Senior Research Associate at the Institute of European Studies in Belgrade and co-author of the Country Report on Serbia of the Media Pluralism Monitor 2023
For the Serbian leadership, the recent adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Srebrenica was unnecessary, as the country has already tried those responsible for war crimes. A careful analysis, however, shows a very different reality
The defence of rivers and water: a highly symbolic struggle which in recent years has successfully mobilised very different layers of the societies of south-eastern Europe, bringing to light both potential and contradictions. An interview
Twenty-five years after the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija and nine after the start of the trial against the four accused of the murder, after a first conviction in 2019 and the repetition of the trial, on Monday 5 February the Court of Appeal of Belgrade acquitted the defendants
The management of European funds is an often complex task that requires specific administrative and technical-financial skills. For accession countries such as Serbia, preparation to the negotiation stage is key
Verbal attacks and serious threats against two journalists from independent broadcasters, the Cenzolovka portal and even an NGO and a Belgrade court judge raise concerns about the climate of increasingly heavy repression in Serbia
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