In an interview for Radar, Maja Stojanović, Executive Director of BCSDN member Civic Initiatives, describes an increasingly restrictive environment for civil society and critical voices in Serbia. She argues that international expressions of concern have had limited effect as long as attacks and institutional pressure carry no political consequences. Stojanović points to police searches of CSOs, prolonged investigations without clear outcomes and the failure to hold perpetrators of politically motivated violence accountable, warning that such practices create an atmosphere of impunity in which the process itself becomes a form of punishment. She also highlights how pressure extends beyond formal institutions, with fear of inspections, financial consequences or other retaliation discouraging people from supporting civic activities. In this context, civil society, independent media and lawyers play an essential role in documenting abuses and safeguarding facts from attempts to deny, distort or erase them from public record. Read more here.
Source: Radar