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. Alternative Girls’ Center
4. Dr Srećko Djukić, Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia (FMO)
5. Andja Jocic
6. Anja Andjusic, FM
7. AS – Center for Empowerment of Young People Living with HIV and AIDS
8. Association “Kutija”, Nis
9. Association Fenomena
10. Association of Citizens “NE-BO”, Negotin
11. Association of Independent Electronic Media – ANEM
12. Association of parents and children Brodić Parkić
13. Association Stara planina Pirot
14. Association Voice of Citizens of Šumadija, Kragujevac
15. Associations Film Club Prokuplje
16. ASTRA – Anti Trafficking Action
17. Autonomous Women’s Center
18. Becej Youth Association
19. BeFem
20. Belgrade Center for Human Rights
21. Belgrade Center for Security Policy
22. Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence
23. Belgrade Open School
24. Beta News agency
25. BIRN
26. BIRODI
27. Boom93
28. Borivoj Stajić
29. Branko Vuckovic, a journalist from Kragujevac
30. Business Association of Local and Independent Media Association “Lokal Press”
31. CANVAS
32. Catalyst Balkans Foundation
33. Center for Democracy and Development of Southern Serbia
34. Center for Democracy Foundation
35. Center for Development of Serbia
36. Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia
37. Center for Local Media Development
38. Center for moms, Belgrade
39. Center for Nonviolent Action
40. Center for Policy Research
41. Center for Policy Research Argument
42. Center for Protection, Education and Empowerment of Refugees Info Park
43. Center for Regionalism Novi Sad
44. Center for Social Policy, Belgrade
45. Center for the Advancement of Society
46. Center for Women’s Studies
47. Centre Living Upright
48. Centre of Modern Skills
49. CeSID
50. Chil Rights Centre
51. CINS
52. Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence (ATINA)
53. Citizens’ Association Institute for Corruption Research, Pancevo
54. Citizens’ Association AIM Center
55. City radio
56. Civic attitude
57. Civic Council of the City of Kraljevo
58. Civic Initiatives
59. Civil action Pancevo
60. Civil Rights Defenders
61. CK13
62. Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development
63. KC Grad, Belgrade
64. Coalition PreUgovor
65. Conceptual Policy Group, Novi Sad
66. Consultations for lesbians
67. CRTA
68. Da se zna!
69. Daca Jović, activist
70. Daily Danas
71. Dajana Đedović, Forum for Culture of the European Movement in Serbia (FzK)
72. net Valjevo
73. Djordje Popović, FMO
74. Don’t let Belgrade d(r)own
75. Dr Ljubomir Jacic
76. Dr Aleksandra Bosnić Đurić, cultural scientist
77. Dr Milorad Đurić, political scientist
78. Dr Sonja Avlijaš, FzK
79. Dragan Srećković
80. Drug Policy Network in South East Europe
81. Duga Association
82. Educational Center Krusevac
83. Environment Engineering group
84. Eurocontact, Krusevac
85. European Movement in Serbia
86. European Movement in Serbia Leskovac
87. European Movement Valjevo (Slavica and Vladimir Pantić)
88. European Policy Centre
89. FemPlatz
90. Forca Požega
91. Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac
92. Foundation for Freedom of the Press – Senta
93. Foundation Pons Nis
94. Goran Cetinic, FMO member
95. Heart Center, Novi Sad
96. Heartefact Fund
97. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
98. Human Rights Committee Negotin
99. Human Rights Committee Nis
100. Human Rights Committee Valjevo
101. Humanitarian Center Mitrovica
102. Humanitarian Law Center
103. Impulse – Tutin
104. Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
105. Independent cultural scene of Serbia – NKSS
106. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
107. Informal association “Za naš kej”, Belgrade
108. Initiative A11
109. Initiative for Požega
110. Institute for European Affairs

111. Integrity Center, Nis
112. InTER
113. Internet portal “Media box”, Nis
114. ISAC Fund
115. Ivan Medenica, FzK
116. Ivana Jovanović, European Youth Movement Forum in Serbia (FM)
117. Iz kruga – Vojvodina
118. Izađi group
119. Jasmina Borojevic
120. Jelena Erdeljan FzK
121. Jelena Šantić Foundation
122. Južne vesti
123. Kolubara District Women’s Association
124. rs
125. Kragujevac newspapers
126. Kreni-Promeni Association
127. KRIK
128. Libek
129. Link plus
130. Loznica Pact
131. Majdanpek Resource Center
132. Media and Reform Center Nis
133. Media Association
134. Mesečina Foundation, Subotica
135. Milan Antonijevic
136. Milena Dragicevic Sesic (FzK)
137. Milena Stefanovic European Fund for the Balkans
138. Milivoj Bešlin, FMO
139. MillenniuM
140. National Coalition for Decentralization
141. National Convention on the European Union
142. National Youth Council of Serbia
143. Nedim Sejdinović, journalist
144. Nenad Šebek, Media and CSO Consultant
145. Network of Human Rights Committees in Serbia CHRIS
146. Network of the European Movement in Serbia
147. B92 Fund
148. New Economy
149. New Media Center kuda.org, Novi Sad
150. New optimism
151. New Solidarity Network
152. NGO Aktiv
153. NGO Center for the Development of Liberalism
154. NON-ALIGNED FILMS
155. Non-Smoking Educational Center Association _ RP
156. Novi Sad Humanitarian Center
157. Novi Sad Open Club
158. Novi Sad School of Journalism
159. Obrenovac Youth Foundation
160. Online Media Association
161. Open Society Foundation
162. Optimist, Bosilegrad
163. Partners Serbia
164. PATOS, Smederevo
165. People’s Parliament Leskovac
166. Peščanik
167. Podrinje Anti-Corruption Team Pact
168. Policy Center
169. Portal SEEcult.org
170. Proaktiv
171. Dr. Vojin Rakic
172. Propulsion Fund
173. Protecta
174. Radio Sto Plus Novi Pazar
175. Radio Zlatousti
176. Ravangrad Citizens’ Association
177. Reconstruction Women’s Fund
178. Regional Information Agency JUGpress
179. Re-Kraft
180. Remark DPCM
181. RERI
182. Res Publica Kragujevac
183. Roma Center Kragujevac
184. Roma World, Nis
185. Romani Cikna
186. Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
187. Sanja Ivačić, FMO
188. Slavica Milojevic
189. Slavica Ranisavljev Kovacev, Novi Sad
190. Slavica Stojanović
191. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
192. Slobodan Georgiev
193. Smart collective
194. Society for Adult Education
195. org
196. SOS Women’s Center Novi Sad
197. Streets for cyclists, Belgrade
198. Students for Liberty – Serbia
199. Tamara Spasojevic
200. The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
201. The movement of the citizens of Novi Sad
202. Tijana Jurić Foundation
203. Timok Youth Center – TOC, Zajecar
204. Trag Foundation
205. Transparency Serbia
206. UG Center for Civil Values from Subotica
207. United Trade Unions of Serbia Sloga
208. Urban In – Novi Pazar
209. Uzice Center for Children’s Rights
210. Uzice Center for Democracy and Human Rights
211. Vesna Perić
212. Victimology Society of Serbia
213. Vladan Jovanović – independent regional consultant in the field of social protection, children’s rights, human and minority rights
214. Vojvodina Civic Center
215. Vojvodina recommended
216. Vukašin Obradović
217. Women for Peace Leskovac
218. Women in Black
219. Women’s Association Peščanik Kruševac
220. Young researchers of Serbia
221. Youth Empowerment Club 018
222. Youth Initiative for Human Rights
223. Zajecar Initiative
224. Zvezda Center, Belgrade