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:
- A1 Novi Pazar
- Academy of Women’s Leadership
- Aida Corovic, HUman rights activist
- Alliance of Antifascists of Vojvodina
- Alternative Girls’ Center
- Amb. Dr Srećko Djukić, Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia (FMO)
- Andja Jocic
- Anja Andjusic, FM
- AS – Center for Empowerment of Young People Living with HIV and AIDS
- Association “Naš svet, naša pravila”
- Association “Kutija”, Nis
- Association Fenomena
- Association for Consumer Protection “Prosperity” – Novi Sad
- Association for the help of mentally challenged people “Pearl“ of the municipality of Srbobran
- Association iRevolution Valjevo
- Association Lužnica- my house Babušnica
- Association of Citizens “NE-BO”, Negotin
- Association of Independent Electronic Media – ANEM
- Association of parents and children Brodić Parkić
- Association Stara planina Pirot
- Association Voice of Citizens of Šumadija, Kragujevac
- Associations Film Club Prokuplje
- ASTRA – Anti Trafficking Action
- Autonomous Women’s Center
- B92 Fund
- Balkan Civil Society Develepoment Network
- BalkanIDEA Novi Sad
- Becej Youth Association
- BeFem
- Belgrade Center for Human Rights
- Belgrade Center for Security Policy
- Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence
- Belgrade Open School
- Belgrade Pride
- Beta News agency
- Biber team
- Biljana Stepanović
- BIRN
- BIRODI
- Boom93
- Borivoj Stajić
- Branko Vuckovic, a journalist from Kragujevac
- Business Association of Local and Independent Media Association “Lokal Press”
- Business Info Group
- CANVAS
- Catalyst Balkans Foundation
- Center E8
- Center for Applied Psychology
- Center for Contemporary Politics
- Center for Democracy and Development of Southern Serbia
- Center for Democracy Foundation
- Center for Development of Serbia
- Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia
- Center for Local Media Development
- Center for moms, Belgrade
- Center for Monitoring & Activism – CEMA
- Center for Nonviolent Action
- Center for Policy Research
- Center for Policy Research Argument
- Center for Protection, Education and Empowerment of Refugees Info Park
- Center for Regionalism Novi Sad
- Center for Social Dialogue and Regional Initiatives – CDDRI
- Center for Social Policy, Belgrade
- Center for the Advancement of Society
- Center for the Rule of Law
- Center for Women’s Studies
- Centre Living Upright
- Centre of Modern Skills
- CeSID
- Chil Rights Centre
- CINS
- Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence (ATINA)
- Citizens’ Association Institute for Corruption Research, Pancevo
- Citizens’ Association AIM Center
- City radio
- Civic attitude
- Civic Council of the City of Kraljevo
- Civic Initiatives
- Civil action Pancevo
- Civil Rights Defenders
- CK13
- Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development
- Coalition for Sustainable Development – CSD, Skopje
- Coalition PreUgovor
- Conceptual Policy Group, Novi Sad
- Consultations for lesbians
- Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, Albania
- CRTA
- Da se zna!
- Daca Jović, activist
- Daily Danas
- Dajana Đedović, Forum for Culture of the European Movement in Serbia (FzK)
- Dijalog.net Valjevo
- Djordje Popović, FMO
- Don’t let Belgrade d(r)own
- Dr Aleksandra Bosnić Đurić, cultural scientist
- Dr Ljubomir Jacic
- Dr Milorad Đurić, political scientist
- Dr Sonja Avlijaš, FzK
- Dragan Srećković
- Drug Policy Network in South East Europe
- Duga Association
- Duško Radosavljević
- Ecogenesis Association
- Educational Center Krusevac
- Environment Engineering group
- Eurocontact, Krusevac
- European Movement in Serbia
- European Movement in Serbia Leskovac
- European Movement Valjevo (Slavica and Vladimir Pantić)
- European Policy Centre
- FemPlatz
- Forca Požega
- Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac
- Foundation for Freedom of the Press – Senta
- Foundation Pons Nis
- Giancarlo Cotella, Associate professor at Politecnico di Torino
- Goran Cetinic, FMO member
- Green Network of Vojvodina
- Heart Center, Novi Sad
- Heartefact Fund
- Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
- Human Rights Committee Negotin
- Human Rights Committee Nis
- Human Rights Committee Valjevo
- Humanitarian Center Mitrovica
- Humanitarian Law Center
- Igor Mihaljević, journalist
- Impulse – Tutin
- Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
- Independent cultural scene of Serbia – NKSS
- Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
- Informal association “Za naš kej”, Belgrade
- InfoVranjske
- Initiative A11
- Initiative for Požega
- Institute for European Affairs
- Integrity Center, Nis
- InTER
- Internet portal “Media box”, Nis
- ISAC Fund
- Ivan Medenica, FzK
- Ivan Ninić
- Ivana Jovanović, European Youth Movement Forum in Serbia (FM)
- Iz kruga – Vojvodina
- Izađi group
- Jasmina Borojevic
- Jedi movement, Nis
- Jelena Erdeljan FzK
- Jelena Šantić Foundation
- Južne vesti
- KC Grad, Belgrade
- Kolubara District Women’s Association
- Kolubarske.rs
- Kragujevac newspapers
- Kreni-Promeni Association
- KRIK
- Libek
- Link plus
- Loznica Pact
- Majdanpek Resource Center
- Media and Reform Center Nis
- Media Association
- Mental Disability Rights Initiative of Serbia (MDRI-Serbia
- Mesečina Foundation, Subotica
- Milan Antonijevic
- Milena Dragicevic Sesic (FzK)
- Milena Stefanovic European Fund for the Balkans
- Milivoj Bešlin, FMO
- MillenniuM
- National Coalition for Decentralization
- National Convention on the European Union
- National Youth Council of Serbia
- Nedim Sejdinović, journalist
- Nenad Šebek, Media and CSO Consultant
- Network of Human Rights Committees in Serbia CHRIS
- Network of the European Movement in Serbia
- New Economy
- New Media Center kuda.org, Novi Sad
- New optimism
- New Social Initiative – NSI
- New Solidarity Network
- Newspaper “Grad”, Kruševac
- NGO Aktiv
- NGO Center for the Development of Liberalism
- NON-ALIGNED FILMS
- Non-Smoking Educational Center Association _ RP
- Novi Sad Humanitarian Center
- Novi Sad Open Club
- Novi Sad School of Journalism
- Obrenovac Youth Foundation
- Online Media Association
- Open Society Foundation
- Optimist, Bosilegrad
- Organization for Respect and Care of Animals – ORCA
- Partners Serbia
- PATOS, Smederevo
- People’s Parliament Leskovac
- Peščanik
- PG Network
- ‘Podrinske” Šabac
- Podrinje Anti-Corruption Team Pact
- Policy Center
- Portal Kruševacgrad
- Portal SEEcult.org
- Praxis
- Proaktiv
- Prof. Dr. Vojin Rakic
- Propulsion Fund
- Protecta
- Radio Sto Plus Novi Pazar
- Radio Zlatousti
- Ravangrad Citizens’ Association
- Reconstruction Women’s Fund
- Reflektor theater (Spotlight theater)
- Regional Information Agency JUGpress
- Re-Kraft
- Remark DPCM
- RERI
- Res Publica Kragujevac
- Roma Center Kragujevac
- Roma World, Nis
- Romani Cikna
- Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
- Sanja Ivačić, FMO
- SF-SN!
- Slavica Milojevic
- Slavica Ranisavljev Kovacev, Novi Sad
- Slavica Stojanović
- Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
- Slobodan Georgiev
- Smart collective
- Society for Adult Education
- Soinfo.org
- SOS Women’s Center Novi Sad
- Strahinja Brajušković, Senior consultant and member of the Working group of NCEU for Chapter 23
- Streets for cyclists, Belgrade
- Students for Liberty – Serbia
- Tamara Spasojevic
- The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
- The movement of the citizens of Novi Sad
- Tijana Jurić Foundation
- Timok Youth Center – TOC, Zajecar
- Trag Foundation
- Transparency Serbia
- UG Center for Civil Values from Subotica
- United Trade Unions of Serbia Sloga
- Urban In – Novi Pazar
- USOP – Union of Organizations of Serbia dealing with the protection of people living with HIV and AIDS
- Uzice Center for Children’s Rights
- Uzice Center for Democracy and Human Rights
- Vega Youth Center
- Vesna Perić
- Victimology Society of Serbia
- Vladan Jovanović – independent regional consultant in the field of social protection, children’s rights, human and minority rights
- Vojvodina Civic Center
- Vojvodina recommended
- Vranje Development and Integration Team
- Vukašin Obradović
- Women for Peace Leskovac
- Women in Black
- Women’s Association Peščanik Kruševac
- Young researchers of Serbia
- Youth Empowerment Club 018
- Youth Initiative for Human Rights
- Zajecar Initiative
- Zvezda Center, Belgrade
