Civil society and media will not give up the fight for a democratic and free Serbia

The media and civil society organizations demand from the Ministry of Finance and the Administration for the Prevention of Money Laundering to immediately present the grounds for suspicion due to which they ordered the extraordinary collection of information about organizations, media, and individuals from the commercial banks. The article of the law, referred to by the director of the Administration for the Prevention of Money Laundering, states that such inspection should be performed exclusively for organizations for which there are grounds for suspicion of their involvement in the financing of terrorism. Since the list includes numerous organizations and individuals dealing with investigative journalism, protection of human rights, transparency, film production, development of democracy, rule of law and philanthropy, the conclusion is that this is a political abuse of institutions and a dangerous attempt to further collapse the rule of law in Serbia.

The abuse of legal mechanisms and institutions to unlawfully put pressure on the media and civil society organizations is a drastic attack on freedom of association and freedom of information. For years, the government in Serbia has been facing serious criticism from both international and domestic organizations regarding the threat to these two important freedoms. Such an attack on organizations that advocate for establishing Serbia as a state governed by the rule of law with respect for the law and a genuine fight against corruption, is an additional argument that these values are seriously endangered in Serbia. Organizations, media and citizens will not give up the fight for a free and democratic state, regardless of threats and pressures. Such and similar moves by the authorities only further motivate us as citizens to persevere in the defense of our own country.

The media and organizations will take all appropriate legal actions against those involved in this abuse, including the prosecution of those responsible, but above all they will insist on complete and clear answers on how this could have happened. We remind the public that the organizations and media from the list are subject to various types of regular state control, including inspections and rigorous checks of financial operations by the Tax Administration and the National Bank of Serbia, as well as by their own donors. Any legal inspection of the work of organizations is welcome and we will always support it. On the other hand, we will fiercely oppose the abuse of institutions and procedures, because that is our mission – the fight for a democratic and legal state.

Signatories:

1. A1 Novi Pazar
2. Academy of Women’s Leadership
3. Aida Corovic, HUman rights activist
4. Alliance of Antifascists of Vojvodina
5. Alternative Girls’ Center
6. Dr Srećko Djukić, Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia (FMO)
7. Andja Jocic
8. Anja Andjusic, FM
9. AS – Center for Empowerment of Young People Living with HIV and AIDS
10. Association “Naš svet, naša pravila”
11. Association “Kutija”, Nis
12. Association Fenomena
13. Association for Consumer Protection “Prosperity” – Novi Sad
14. Association for the help of mentally challenged people “Pearl“ of the municipality of Srbobran
15. Association iRevolution Valjevo
16. Association Lužnica- my house Babušnica
17. Association of Citizens “NE-BO”, Negotin
18. Association of Independent Electronic Media – ANEM
19. Association of parents and children Brodić Parkić
20. Association Prostor, Belgrade
21. Association Stara planina Pirot
22. Association Voice of Citizens of Šumadija, Kragujevac
23. Associations Film Club Prokuplje
24. ASTRA – Anti Trafficking Action
25. Autonomous Women’s Center
26. B92 Fund
27. Balkan Civil Society Develepoment Network
28. BalkanIDEA Novi Sad
29. Becej Youth Association
30. BeFem
31. Belgrade Center for Human Rights
32. Belgrade Center for Security Policy
33. Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence
34. Belgrade Open School
35. Belgrade Pride
36. Beta News agency
37. Biber team
38. Biljana Stepanović
39. BIRN
40. BIRODI
41. Boom93
42. Borivoj Stajić
43. Branko Vuckovic, a journalist from Kragujevac
44. Business Association of Local and Independent Media Association “Lokal Press”
45. Business Info Group
46. CANVAS
47. Catalyst Balkans Foundation
48. Center E8
49. Center for Applied Psychology
50. Center for Contemporary Politics
51. Center for Democracy and Development of Southern Serbia
52. Center for Democracy Foundation
53. Center for Development of Serbia
54. Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia
55. Center for Local Media Development
56. Center for moms, Belgrade
57. Center for Monitoring & Activism – CEMA
58. Center for Nonviolent Action
59. Center for Policy Research
60. Center for Policy Research Argument
61. Center for Protection, Education and Empowerment of Refugees Info Park
62. Center for Regionalism Novi Sad
63. Center for Social Dialogue and Regional Initiatives – CDDRI
64. Center for Social Policy, Belgrade
65. Center for the Advancement of Society
66. Center for the Rule of Law
67. Center for Women’s Studies
68. Centre Living Upright
69. Centre of Modern Skills
70. CeSID
71. Chil Rights Centre
72. CINS
73. Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence (ATINA)
74. Citizens’ Association Institute for Corruption Research, Pancevo
75. Citizens’ Association AIM Center
76. City radio
77. Civic attitude
78. Civic Council of the City of Kraljevo
79. Civic Initiatives
80. Civil action Pancevo
81. Civil Rights Defenders
82. CK13
83. Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development
84. Coalition for Sustainable Development – CSD, Skopje
85. Coalition PreUgovor
86. Conceptual Policy Group, Novi Sad
87. Consultations for lesbians
88. Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, Albania
89. CRTA
90. Da se zna!
91. Daca Jović, activist
92. Daily Danas
93. Dajana Đedović, Forum for Culture of the European Movement in Serbia (FzK)
94. Dijalog.net Valjevo
95. Djordje Popović, FMO
96. Don’t let Belgrade d(r)own
97. Dr Aleksandra Bosnić Đurić, cultural scientist
98. Dr Ljubomir Jacic
99. Dr Milorad Đurić, political scientist
100. Dr Sonja Avlijaš, FzK
101. Dragan Srećković
102. Drug Policy Network in South East Europe
103. Duga Association
104. Duško Radosavljević
105. Ecogenesis Association
106. Educational Center Krusevac
107. Environment Engineering group
108. Eurocontact, Krusevac
109. European Movement in Serbia
110. European Movement in Serbia Leskovac
111. European Movement Valjevo (Slavica and Vladimir Pantić)
112. European Policy Centre
113. FEMIX Young Women Collective
114. FemPlatz
115. Forca Požega
116. Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac
117. Foundation for Freedom of the Press – Senta
118. Foundation Pons Nis
119. Giancarlo Cotella, Associate professor at Politecnico di Torino
120. Goran Cetinic, FMO member
121. Green Network of Vojvodina
122. Heart Center, Novi Sad
123. Heartefact Fund
124. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
125. Human Rights Committee Negotin
126. Human Rights Committee Nis
127. Human Rights Committee Valjevo
128. Humanitarian Center Mitrovica
129. Humanitarian Law Center
130. Igor Mihaljević, journalist
131. Impulse – Tutin
132. Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
133. Independent cultural scene of Serbia – NKSS
134. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
135. Informal association “Za naš kej”, Belgrade
136. InfoVranjske
137. Initiative A11
138. Initiative for Požega
139. Institute for European Affairs
140. Integrity Center, Nis
141. InTER
142. Internet portal “Media box”, Nis
143. ISAC Fund
144. Ivan Medenica, FzK
145. Ivan Ninić
146. Ivana Jovanović, European Youth Movement Forum in Serbia (FM)
147. Iz kruga – Vojvodina
148. Izađi group
149. Jasmina Borojevic
150. Jedi movement, Nis
151. Jelena Erdeljan FzK
152. Jelena Šantić Foundation
153. Južne vesti
154. KC Grad, Belgrade
155. Kolubara District Women’s Association
156. Kolubarske.rs
157. Kragujevac newspapers
158. Kreni-Promeni Association
159. KRIK
160. Libek
161. Link plus
162. Loznica Pact
163. Majdanpek Resource Center
164. Media and Reform Center Nis
165. Media Association
166. Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (MDRI-Serbia
167. Mesečina Foundation, Subotica
168. Milan Antonijevic
169. Milena Dragicevic Sesic (FzK)
170. Milena Stefanovic European Fund for the Balkans
171. Milivoj Bešlin, FMO
172. MillenniuM
173. Mina Aleksic, Belgrade
174. National Coalition for Decentralization
175. National Convention on the European Union
176. National Youth Council of Serbia
177. Nedim Sejdinović, journalist
178. Nenad Šebek, Media and CSO Consultant
179. Network of Human Rights Committees in Serbia CHRIS
180. Network of the European Movement in Serbia
181. New Economy
182. New Media Center kuda.org, Novi Sad
183. New optimism
184. New Social Initiative – NSI
185. New Solidarity Network
186. Newspaper “Grad”, Kruševac
187. NGO Aktiv
188. NGO Center for the Development of Liberalism
189. NON-ALIGNED FILMS
190. Non-Smoking Educational Center Association _ RP
191. Novi Sad Humanitarian Center
192. Novi Sad Open Club
193. Novi Sad School of Journalism
194. Obrenovac Youth Foundation
195. Online Media Association
196. Open Society Foundation
197. Optimist, Bosilegrad
198. Organization for Respect and Care of Animals – ORCA
199. Partners Serbia
200. PATOS, Smederevo
201. People’s Parliament Leskovac
202. Peščanik
203. PG Network
204. ‘Podrinske” Šabac
205. Podrinje Anti-Corruption Team Pact
206. Policy Center
207. Portal Kruševacgrad
208. Portal SEEcult.org
209. Praxis
210. Proaktiv
211. Dr. Vojin Rakic
212. Propulsion Fund
213. Protecta
214. Radio Sto Plus Novi Pazar
215. Radio Zlatousti
216. Ravangrad Citizens’ Association
217. Reconstruction Women’s Fund
218. Reflektor theater (Spotlight theater)
219. Regional Information Agency JUGpress
220. Re-Kraft
221. Remark DPCM
222. RERI
223. Res Publica Kragujevac
224. Roma Center Kragujevac
225. Roma World, Nis
226. Romani Cikna
227. Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
228. Sanja Ivačić, FMO
229. SF-SN!
230. Slavica Milojevic
231. Slavica Ranisavljev Kovacev, Novi Sad
232. Slavica Stojanović
233. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
234. Slobodan Georgiev
235. Smart collective
236. Society for Adult Education
237. Soinfo.org
238. SOS Women’s Center Novi Sad
239. Strahinja Brajušković, Senior consultant and member of the Working group of NCEU for Chapter 23
240. Streets for cyclists, Belgrade
241. Students for Liberty – Serbia
242. Tamara Spasojevic
243. The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
244. The movement of the citizens of Novi Sad
245. Tijana Jurić Foundation
246. Timok Youth Center – TOC, Zajecar
247. Trag Foundation
248. Transparency Serbia
249. UG Center for Civil Values from Subotica
250. Union of Doctors and Pharmacists of Serbia
251. United Trade Unions of Serbia Sloga
252. Urban In – Novi Pazar
253. USOP – Union of Organizations of Serbia dealing with the protection of people living with HIV and AIDS
254. Uzice Center for Children’s Rights
255. Uzice Center for Democracy and Human Rights
256. Vega Youth Center
257. Vesna Perić
258. Victimology Society of Serbia
259. Vladan Jovanović – independent regional consultant in the field of social protection, children’s rights, human and minority rights
260. Vojvodina Civic Center
261. Vojvodina recommended
262. Vranje Development and Integration Team
263. Vukašin Obradović
264. Women for Peace Leskovac
265. Women in Black
266. Women’s Association Peščanik Kruševac
267. Young researchers of Serbia
268. Youth Empowerment Club 018
269. Youth Initiative for Human Rights
270. Zajecar Initiative
271. Zvezda Center, Belgrade