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 al

ways 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:

(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. Alternative Girls’ Center
5. Dr Srećko Djukić, Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia (FMO)
6. Andja Jocic
7. Anja Andjusic, FM
8. AS – Center for Empowerment of Young People Living with HIV and AIDS
9. Association “Naš svet, naša pravila”
10. Association “Kutija”, Nis
11. Association Fenomena
12. Association for Consumer Protection “Prosperity” – Novi Sad
13. Association for the help of mentally challenged people “Pearl“ of the municipality of Srbobran
14. Association of Citizens “NE-BO”, Negotin
15. Association of Independent Electronic Media – ANEM
16. Association of parents and children Brodić Parkić
17. Association Stara planina Pirot
18. Association Voice of Citizens of Šumadija, Kragujevac
19. Associations Film Club Prokuplje
20. ASTRA – Anti Trafficking Action
21. Autonomous Women’s Center
22. B92 Fund
23. BalkanIDEA Novi Sad
24. Becej Youth Association
25. BeFem
26. Belgrade Center for Human Rights
27. Belgrade Center for Security Policy
28. Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence
29. Belgrade Open School
30. Belgrade Pride
31. Beta News agency
32. Biber team
33. Biljana Stepanović
34. BIRN
35. BIRODI
36. Boom93
37. Borivoj Stajić
38. Branko Vuckovic, journalist from Kragujevac
39. Business Association of Local and Independent Media Association “Lokal Press”
40. Business Info Group
41. CANVAS
42. Catalyst Balkans Foundation
43. Center for Applied Psychology
44. Center for Contemporary Politics
45. Center for Democracy and Development of Southern Serbia
46. Center for Democracy Foundation
47. Center for Development of Serbia
48. Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia
49. Center for Local Media Development
50. Center for Moms, Belgrade
51. Center for Monitoring & Activism – CEMA
52. Center for Nonviolent Action
53. Center for Policy Research
54. Center for Policy Research Argument
55. Center for Protection, Education and Empowerment of Refugees Info Park
56. Center for Regionalism Novi Sad
57. Center for Social Dialogue and Regional Initiatives – CDDRI
58. Center for Social Policy, Belgrade
59. Center for the Advancement of Society
60. Center for the Rule of Law
61. Center for Women’s Studies
62. Centre Living Upright
63. Centre of Modern Skills
64. CeSID
65. Chil Rights Centre
66. CINS
67. Citizens Association for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and All Forms of Gender-Based Violence (ATINA)
68. Citizens’ Association Institute for Corruption Research, Pancevo
69. Citizens’ Association AIM Center
70. City radio
71. Civic attitude
72. Civic Council of the City of Kraljevo
73. Civic Initiatives
74. Civil action Pancevo
75. Civil Rights Defenders
76. CK13
77. Coalition for Solidarity Economy Development
78. Coalition PreUgovor
79. Conceptual Policy Group, Novi Sad
80. Consultations for lesbians
81. CRTA
82. Da se zna!
83. Daca Jović, activist
84. Daily Danas
85. Dajana Đedović, Forum for Culture of the European Movement in Serbia (FzK)
86. Dijalog.net Valjevo
87. Djordje Popović, FMO
88. Don’t let Belgrade d(r)own
89. Dr Aleksandra Bosnić Đurić, cultural scientist
90. Dr Ljubomir Jacic
91. Dr Milorad Đurić, political scientist
92. Dr Sonja Avlijaš, FzK
93. Dragan Srećković
94. Drug Policy Network in South East Europe
95. Duga Association
96. Ecogenesis Association
97. Educational Center Krusevac
98. Environment Engineering group
99. Eurocontact, Krusevac
100. European Movement in Serbia
101. European Movement in Serbia Leskovac
102. European Movement Valjevo (Slavica and Vladimir Pantić)
103. European Policy Centre
104. FemPlatz
105. Forca Požega
106. Foundation Ana and Vlade Divac
107. Foundation for Freedom of the Press – Senta
108. Foundation Pons Nis
109. Goran Cetinic, FMO member
110. Green Network of Vojvodina
111. Heart Center, Novi Sad
112. Heartefact Fund
113. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights
114. Human Rights Committee Negotin
115. Human Rights Committee Nis
116. Human Rights Committee Valjevo
117. Humanitarian Center Mitrovica
118. Humanitarian Law Center
119. Igor Mihaljević, journalist
120. Impulse – Tutin
121. Independent Association of Journalists of Vojvodina
122. Independent cultural scene of Serbia – NKSS
123. Independent Journalists’ Association of Serbia (NUNS)
124. Informal association “Za naš kej”, Belgrade
125. InfoVranjske
126. Initiative A11
127. Initiative for Požega
128. Institute for European Affairs
129. Integrity Center, Nis
130. InTER
131. Internet portal “Media box”, Nis
132. ISAC Fund
133. Ivan Medenica, FzK
134. Ivan Ninić
135. Ivana Jovanović, European Youth Movement Forum in Serbia (FM)
136. Iz kruga – Vojvodina
137. Izađi group
138. Jasmina Borojevic
139. Jedi movement, Nis
140. Jelena Erdeljan FzK
141. Jelena Šantić Foundation
142. Južne vesti
143. KC Grad, Belgrade
144. Kolubara District Women’s Association
145. Kolubarske.rs
146. Kragujevac newspapers
147. Kreni-Promeni Association
148. KRIK
149. Libek
150. Link plus
151. Loznica Pact
152. Majdanpek Resource Center
153. Media and Reform Center Nis
154. Media Association
155. Mesečina Foundation, Subotica
156. Milan Antonijevic
157. Milena Dragicevic Sesic (FzK)
158. Milena Stefanovic European Fund for the Balkans
159. Milivoj Bešlin, FMO
160. MillenniuM
161. National Coalition for Decentralization
162. National Convention on the European Union
163. National Youth Council of Serbia
164. Nedim Sejdinović, journalist
165. Nenad Šebek, Media and CSO Consultant
166. Network of Human Rights Committees in Serbia CHRIS
167. Network of the European Movement in Serbia
168. New Economy
169. New Media Center kuda.org, Novi Sad
170. New optimism
171. New Social Initiative – NSI
172. New Solidarity Network
173. Newspaper “Grad”, Kruševac
174. NGO Aktiv
175. NGO Center for the Development of Liberalism
176. NON-ALIGNED FILMS
177. Non-Smoking Educational Center Association _ RP
178. Novi Sad Humanitarian Center
179. Novi Sad Open Club
180. Novi Sad School of Journalism
181. Obrenovac Youth Foundation
182. Online Media Association
183. Open Society Foundation
184. Optimist, Bosilegrad
185. Organization for Respect and Care of Animals – ORCA
186. Partners Serbia
187. PATOS, Smederevo
188. People’s Parliament Leskovac
189. Peščanik
190. “Podrinske” Šabac
191. Podrinje Anti-Corruption Team Pact
192. Policy Center
193. Portal Kruševacgrad
194. Portal SEEcult.org
195. Proaktiv
196. Dr. Vojin Rakic
197. Propulsion Fund
198. Protecta
199. Radio Sto Plus Novi Pazar
200. Radio Zlatousti
201. Ravangrad Citizens’ Association
202. Reconstruction Women’s Fund
203. Regional Information Agency JUGpress
204. Re-Kraft
205. Remark DPCM
206. RERI
207. Res Publica Kragujevac
208. Roma Center Kragujevac
209. Roma World, Nis
210. Romani Cikna
211. Sandzak Committee for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms
212. Sanja Ivačić, FMO
213. Slavica Milojevic
214. Slavica Ranisavljev Kovacev, Novi Sad
215. Slavica Stojanović
216. Slavko Ćuruvija Foundation
217. Slobodan Georgiev
218. Smart collective
219. Society for Adult Education
220. SOinfo.org
221. SOS Women’s Center Novi Sad
222. Strahinja Brajušković, Senior consultant and member of the Working group of NCEU for Chapter 23
223. Streets for cyclists, Belgrade
224. Students for Liberty – Serbia
225. Tamara Spasojevic
226. The Lawyers’ Committee For Human Rights (YUCOM)
227. The movement of the citizens of Novi Sad
228. Tijana Jurić Foundation
229. Timok Youth Center – TOC, Zajecar
230. Trag Foundation
231. Transparency Serbia
232. UG Center for Civil Values from Subotica
233. United Trade Unions of Serbia Sloga
234. Urban In – Novi Pazar
235. USOP – Union of Organizations of Serbia dealing with the protection of people living with HIV and AIDS
236. Uzice Center for Children’s Rights
237. Uzice Center for Democracy and Human Rights
238. Vega Youth Center
239. Vesna Perić
240. Victimology Society of Serbia
241. Vladan Jovanović – independent regional consultant in the field of social protection, children’s rights, human and minority rights
242. Vojvodina Civic Center
243. Vojvodina recommended
244. Vranje Development and Integration Team
245. Vukašin Obradović
246. Women for Peace Leskovac
247. Women in Black
248. Women’s Association Peščanik Kruševac
249. Young researchers of Serbia
250. Youth Empowerment Club 018
251. Youth Initiative for Human Rights
252. Zajecar Initiative
253. Zvezda Center, Belgrade

Štampaj