Balsa Bozovic: Vucic uses repression as a tool to suppress civil society in Serbia
The Academy for Democratic Development strongly condemns the police raid on the premises of Civic Initiatives, the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), the Center for Practical Politics, and the Trag Foundation.
This raid, orchestrated by Vučić’s party prosecutor Stefanović, was carried out without presenting a search warrant and with an obvious intent to intimidate. Such actions are not part of a lawful investigation but rather part of a broader pattern of pressure on civil society organizations that expose government abuses and advocate for democratic values.
In a democratic society, the law is not a tool of repression, but a framework that guarantees the rights and freedoms of citizens. There is a fundamental difference between legal procedures based on legitimate grounds and the abuse of the prosecution system for political retaliation against dissenters.
This incident is part of a continuous process of dismantling civil society in Serbia, a strategy employed by the government to silence criticism and entrench dictatorship. While the prosecution is being weaponized against those fighting for democracy and the rule of law, real issues remain unresolved—from organized crime and corruption to the erosion of the judiciary and the suppression of media freedoms.
The Academy for Democratic Development expresses full solidarity with Civic Initiatives, CRTA, the Trag Foundation, and the Center for Practical Politics, as well as with all organizations fighting for a free and democratic society that are now under attack by Vučić’s party-controlled prosecution. We call on both the domestic and international public to condemn these pressures and demand that authorities immediately cease the persecution of civil society in Serbia.
In a time when institutions are misused for intimidation, resistance is our duty. We firmly believe that solidarity and the joint struggle of civil society and democratic forces are the only ways to defend fundamental democratic values.
Balša Božović
Executive Director, Academy for Democratic Development
