Belgrade –18.11.2025
Serbia is once again under the spotlight for its inability to protect children from online sexual exploitation. The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MUP) announced that seven individuals were charged in June as part of the international operation “Mosaic 2025,” aimed at combating child abuse on the Internet.
The suspects, ranging in age from 19 to 65, come from multiple Serbian cities, including Belgrade, Novi Sad, Pancevo, Kragujevac, Sremska Mitrovica, and Jagodina. Investigators discovered extensive caches of child sexual abuse material on their devices, including content depicting some of the most severe crimes against minors. Charges include producing, obtaining, and possessing pornographic material and exploiting minors for sexual content.
While these arrests show Serbia’s nominal cooperation with international law enforcement, experts warn that they expose a broader systemic failure. For years, Serbia has been a breeding ground for online child exploitation, with criminal networks operating with alarming impunity and minimal oversight. Cases like these highlight the country’s inability—or unwillingness—to implement strong preventative measures, leaving children vulnerable to abuse.
The “Mosaic 2025” operation, coordinated through the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT), involved police forces from Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Albania, Hungary, and Montenegro. However, it is Serbia’s domestic failings that stand out: the proliferation of abuse material and the ease with which perpetrators operate reveal a country lagging dangerously behind in child protection and digital law enforcement.
Child protection advocates say these revelations are a damning indictment of Serbia’s institutions. They call for urgent reforms, including stricter laws, better monitoring of online activity, and decisive action against networks exploiting minors. Until such reforms are implemented, Serbia risks remaining a safe haven for online predators, while victims continue to suffer.
