Serbia has failed to achieve key progress in the rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, and media freedom, posing a severe roadblock to its accession negotiations with the European Union.
According to the latest non-paper by the European Commission, which assesses Serbia’s progress under Chapters 23 and 24, Brussels has raised serious alarms over the “significant increase” in political pressure on the judiciary, a lack of tangible results in prosecuting high-level corruption, and a deteriorating environment for independent journalists and civil society.
The document, which was accessed by Radio Free Europe (REL) and discussed by EU diplomats earlier this week, acts as an interim assessment between the standard annual progress reports.
Severe Pressures on the Judiciary and the “Mrdić Laws”
The European Commission notes that political interference in Serbia’s judicial framework has reached worrying levels, particularly regarding high-profile criminal investigations. According to the report, state officials, including members of parliament and top institutional leaders, have routinely made inappropriate public comments, threats of dismissal, and open criticisms against active judges and prosecutors.
A specific portion of the report criticizes controversial judicial amendments enacted in January 2026—locally dubbed the “Mrdić laws”—which were rushed through parliament under emergency procedures without a transparent public consultation.
EU experts concluded that these legislative updates:
- Severely undermine the operational autonomy of the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (TOK).
- Hamper ongoing sensitive investigations by removing police investigators from active TOK operational task forces.
- Contradict prior constitutional reforms that Serbia undertook to satisfy EU standards.
The EU has urged Belgrade to reverse or thoroughly amend these January 2026 provisions in line with Venice Commission recommendations.
High-Level Corruption Left Unpunished
The report concludes that no progress has been recorded in resolving major corruption cases. Crucially, the EU highlights that the investigation into potential corruption surrounding the tragic canopy collapse at the Novi Sad Railway Station remains incomplete.
The document notes that cooperation between the police and the TOK has deteriorated, with the police failing to provide comprehensive evidentiary documentation. Furthermore, the arbitrary termination or non-extension of mandates for two lead prosecutors working on highly sensitive public cases—the Novi Sad canopy collapse and the five-ton marijuana seizure in Konjuh—has severely disrupted judicial integrity.
The EU also pointed out systemic vulnerabilities in public procurement, revealing that major infrastructure projects continue to bypass standard procurement legislation through customized cross-state agreements and special laws. This practice, according to the Commission, creates a high risk of corruption and directly violates the EU acquis communautaire.
Rising Violence and BOT Campaigns Target Media
The assessment paints a grim picture of the media landscape, documenting a surge in verbal and physical assaults against journalists, often occurring in the presence of passive police officers. Female journalists remain disproportionately targeted, particularly by coordinated online harassment campaigns.
The report underscores that:
- High-ranking state officials continue to engage in hostile rhetoric against the press, creating a “chilling effect” on free expression.
- State-backed bot networks have carried out synchronized attacks against independent outlets and civil society organizations.
- The Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) remains entirely dysfunctional as new council members have yet to be appointed, allowing unlicensed television channels to broadcast over the state-majority-owned Telekom Srbija cable network.
Additionally, the EU criticized Serbia’s failure to counter foreign information manipulation. Despite EU-wide sanctions, the Russian state-media outlet RT Balkan continues to broadcast in Serbian via Telekom Srbija, operating on a license issued by the previous REM council.
Local Election Irregularities and Unresolved War Crimes
Turning to democracy and regional issues, international observers cited in the document noted widespread irregularities during local elections, including voter intimidation, vote-buying, and the abuse of public administration resources for party campaigns. Observers documented instances of violence in almost every single municipality visited.
On transitional justice, the report notes a complete standstill in prosecuting war crimes. Serbia still faces a daunting backlog of over 1,731 unprosecuted cases. While technical cooperation continues with Bosnia and Herzegovina, judicial exchange with Croatia and Kosovo is non-existent. The document also noted that Serbian courts failed to secure financial compensation for wartime victims, while 7,608 individuals across the Western Balkans remain missing from the conflicts of the 1990s.
