Since the beginning of the student protests, we have publicly and unequivocally supported all their demands. Since the fall of the canopy in Novi Sad on November 1 last year, we have been deeply shaken by the suffering of innocent people, the violence we are witnessing, as well as the actions of institutions that, instead of doing their job, try to use various maneuvers to extinguish the student struggle. The students showed that this is not possible and that, until the institutions start working in accordance with their competences, the struggle will not stop. The rule of law and the responsibility of public office bearers must be the foundation of society’s functioning. However, Serbia has not been a rule of law country for a long time.
For years we have been witnessing pressures, attacks and threatening campaigns against civil society organizations, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and citizens who dare to oppose corruption and abuse of institutions. We are witnessing the abuse of security structures and other institutions for the purpose of illegal espionage of activists and mounting criminal and other processes with the aim of intimidating activists and journalists. For the first time, the pressure on civil society took an institutional form through the Draft Law on a special register of agents of foreign influence, in the same way as it is regulated in Russia and Belarus. In response to all this, the competent institutions are still silent and do not do what is in their job description – they do not protect citizens and the public good
These days we witnessed harassment, arrests, expulsion from the country and the ban on entry of activists, students and public figures from abroad. We are also witnessing the targeting of citizens who have dual citizenship, while convicted war criminals are sharing personal data of students and thereby endangering their safety.
We are also witnessing the government’s attempts to fake democracy and the inclusiveness of the policy-making process by formally involving civil society in various decision-making processes, the result of which, however good it may seem “on paper”, is not implemented in practice, and the standards of protection of human rights and freedoms have been in constant decline in recent years. Citizens and civil society do not have the opportunity to influence decisions about projects and activities that already have or may have a negative impact on the rights, property, health and safety of citizens. Public space and services, cultural heritage and natural resources are stolen from citizens every day with the active connivance of public institutions, public officials and the highest officials of this country.
Due to all of the above, and guided by the idea that the rule of law must finally prevail, we made the decision to suspend cooperation with the legislative and executive authorities in Serbia. By cooperation we consider any membership – both formal and informal – in the working groups of the Government and its ministries, as well as all other permanent and ad hoc working groups, councils and similar instruments of state bodies that imply our direct involvement.
We will not give up on returning the institutions of the Republic of Serbia to their responsibilities and citizens. We remain committed to our work and will continue to monitor all decision-making processes, regularly report to the public about their effects, and use all legal, administrative and other mechanisms of state bodies in the coming period. In this way, we will protect human rights,
report crimes and misdemeanors, point out harmful decisions and actions, and use all available mechanisms in order to protect the public interest, human rights, freedoms, health, safety and property of citizens, in accordance with the goals, visions and missions of our organizations.
In Belgrade, 04.02.2024.
Signatories:
A11 – Initiative for economic and social rights
Alternative center for girls
ASTRA-Action against human trafficking
Media Association
Online Media Association
Autonomous Women’s Center
Belgrade Center for Security Policy
Belgrade Center for Human Rights
Center for Contemporary Politics
Crta
Evropski pokret u Srbiji
FemPlatz
Građanske inicijative
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
Youth Initiative for Human Rights
Initiative for the Rights of Persons with Mental Disabilities MDRI-S
Collective Ministry of Space
Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights – YUCOM
International Aid Network IAN
National Coalition for Decentralization
Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia
Partners for Democratic Changes Serbia
PIN – Psychosocial Innovation Network
Polekol – Organization for political ecology
Regulatory Institute for Renewable Energy and the Environment – RERI
SHARE Foundation
Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation