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

Posted at 20:40h in front page, News, Vesti iz sektora by

Belgrade, July 28, 2020

Press release

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.

If you would like to support this statement,you can do so by sending an email to civin@gradjanske.org.

Signatories:

(the list is regularly updated with new signatures)

  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. Amb. 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. Child 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. Civil Society Development Foundation (Romania)
  83. CK13
  84. Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development
  85. Coalition for Sustainable Development – CSD, Skopje
  86. Coalition PreUgovor
  87. Conceptual Policy Group, Novi Sad
  88. Consultations for lesbians
  89. Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, Albania
  90. CRTA
  91. Da se zna!
  92. Daca Jović, activist
  93. Daily Danas
  94. Dajana Đedović, Forum for Culture of the European Movement in Serbia (FzK)
  95. Dijalog.net Valjevo
  96. Djordje Popović, FMO
  97. Don’t let Belgrade d(r)own
  98. Dr Aleksandra Bosnić Đurić, cultural scientist
  99. Dr Ljubomir Jacic
  100. Dr Milorad Đurić, political scientist
  101. Dr Sonja Avlijaš, FzK
  102. Dragan Srećković
  103. Drug Policy Network in South East Europe
  104. Duga Association
  105. Duško Radosavljević
  106. Ecogenesis Association
  107. Educational Center Krusevac
  108. Environment Engineering group
  109. Eurocontact, Krusevac
  110. European Movement in Serbia
  111. European Movement in Serbia Leskovac
  112. European Movement Valjevo (Slavica and Vladimir Pantić)
  113. European Policy Centre
  114. FEMIX Young Women Collective
  115. FemPlatz
  116. Forca Požega
  117. Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac
  118. Foundation for Freedom of the Press – Senta
  119. Foundation Pons Nis
  120. Giancarlo Cotella, Associate professor at Politecnico di Torino
  121. Goran Cetinic, FMO member
  122. Green Network of Vojvodina
  123. Heart Center, Novi Sad
  124. Heartefact Fund
  125. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
  126. Human Rights Committee Negotin
  127. Human Rights Committee Nis
  128. Human Rights Committee Valjevo
  129. Humanitarian Center Mitrovica
  130. Humanitarian Law Center
  131. Igor Mihaljević, journalist
  132. Impulse – Tutin
  133. Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
  134. Independent cultural scene of Serbia – NKSS
  135. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
  136. Independent Union of Journalists and Media Workers (SSNM) Macedonia
  137. Informal association “Za naš kej”, Belgrade
  138. InfoVranjske
  139. Initiative A11
  140. Initiative for Požega
  141. Institute for European Affairs
  142. Integrity Center, Nis
  143. InTER
  144. Internet portal “Media box”, Nis
  145. ISAC Fund
  146. Ivan Medenica, FzK
  147. Ivan Ninić
  148. Ivana Jovanović, European Youth Movement Forum in Serbia (FM)
  149. Iz kruga – Vojvodina
  150. Izađi group
  151. Jasmina Borojevic
  152. Jedi movement, Nis
  153. Jelena Erdeljan FzK
  154. Jelena Šantić Foundation
  155. Južne vesti
  156. KC Grad, Belgrade
  157. Kolubara District Women’s Association
  158. Kolubarske.rs
  159. Kragujevac newspapers
  160. Kreni-Promeni Association
  161. KRIK
  162. Libek
  163. Liceulice
  164. Link plus
  165. Loznica Pact
  166. Macedonian Center for International Cooperation
  167. Majdanpek Resource Center
  168. Media and Reform Center Nis
  169. Media Association
  170. Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (MDRI-Serbia
  171. Mesečina Foundation, Subotica
  172. Milan Antonijevic
  173. Milena Dragicevic Sesic (FzK)
  174. Milena Stefanovic European Fund for the Balkans
  175. Milivoj Bešlin, FMO
  176. MillenniuM
  177. Mina Aleksic, Belgrade
  178. National Coalition for Decentralization
  179. National Convention on the European Union
  180. National Youth Council of Serbia
  181. Nedim Sejdinović, journalist
  182. Nenad Šebek, Media and CSO Consultant
  183. Network of Human Rights Committees in Serbia CHRIS
  184. Network of the European Movement in Serbia
  185. New Economy
  186. New Media Center kuda.org, Novi Sad
  187. New optimism
  188. New Social Initiative – NSI
  189. New Solidarity Network
  190. Newspaper “Grad”, Kruševac
  191. NGO Aktiv
  192. NGO Center for the Development of Liberalism
  193. NON-ALIGNED FILMS
  194. Non-Smoking Educational Center Association _ RP
  195. Novi Sad Humanitarian Center
  196. Novi Sad Open Club
  197. Novi Sad School of Journalism
  198. Obrenovac Youth Foundation
  199. Online Media Association
  200. Open Society Foundation
  201. Optimist, Bosilegrad
  202. Organization for Respect and Care of Animals – ORCA
  203. Partners Serbia
  204. PATOS, Smederevo
  205. People’s Parliament Leskovac
  206. Peščanik
  207. PG Network
  208. “Podrinske” Šabac
  209. Podrinje Anti-Corruption Team Pact
  210. Policy Center
  211. Portal Kruševacgrad
  212. Portal SEEcult.org
  213. Praxis
  214. Proaktiv
  215. Prof. Dr. Vojin Rakic
  216. Propulsion Fund
  217. Protecta
  218. Radio Sto Plus Novi Pazar
  219. Radio Zlatousti
  220. Ravangrad Citizens’ Association
  221. Reconstruction Women’s Fund
  222. Reflektor theater (Spotlight theater)
  223. Regional Information Agency JUGpress
  224. Re-Kraft
  225. Remark DPCM
  226. RERI
  227. Res Publica Kragujevac
  228. Roma Center Kragujevac
  229. Roma World, Nis
  230. Romani Cikna
  231. Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
  232. Sanja Ivačić, FMO
  233. SF-SN!
  234. Slavica Milojevic
  235. Slavica Ranisavljev Kovacev, Novi Sad
  236. Slavica Stojanović
  237. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
  238. Slobodan Georgiev
  239. Smart collective
  240. Society for Adult Education
  241. SOinfo.org
  242. SOS Women’s Center Novi Sad
  243. Strahinja Brajušković, Senior consultant and member of the Working group of NCEU for Chapter 23
  244. Streets for cyclists, Belgrade
  245. Students for Liberty – Serbia
  246. Tamara Spasojevic
  247. The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
  248. The movement of the citizens of Novi Sad
  249. Tijana Jurić Foundation
  250. Timok Youth Center – TOC, Zajecar
  251. Trag Foundation
  252. Transparency Serbia
  253. UG Center for Civil Values from Subotica
  254. Union of Doctors and Pharmacists of Serbia
  255. United Trade Unions of Serbia Sloga
  256. Urban In – Novi Pazar
  257. USOP – Union of Organizations of Serbia dealing with the protection of people living with HIV and AIDS
  258. Uzice Center for Children’s Rights
  259. Uzice Center for Democracy and Human Rights
  260. Vega Youth Center
  261. Vesna Perić
  262. Victimology Society of Serbia
  263. Vladan Jovanović – independent regional consultant in the field of social protection, children’s rights, human and minority rights
  264. Vojvodina Civic Center
  265. Vojvodina recommended
  266. Vranje Development and Integration Team
  267. Vukašin Obradović
  268. Women for Peace Leskovac
  269. Women in Black
  270. Women’s Association Peščanik Kruševac
  271. Young researchers of Serbia
  272. Youth Empowerment Club 018
  273. Youth Initiative for Human Rights
  274. Zajecar Initiative
  275. Zvezda Center, Belgrade