The Swedish government has announced it will adjust its financial support for Serbia, citing concerns over rising corruption and a lack of progress on rule of law and democratic reforms.
The decision, published on the official website of the Swedish Parliament, is part of Sweden’s Reform Cooperation Strategy for the Western Balkans and Turkey. It involves suspending part of the aid to Serbian state institutions and redirecting funds toward strengthening civil society organizations.
“Developments in Serbia are moving in the wrong direction — from increasing corruption to non-compliance with the principles of the rule of law,” said Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade.
“States cannot expect Swedish support if they do not implement the necessary reforms. That is why we are introducing these changes now,” he added.
According to Dousa, the Swedish government has been closely monitoring Serbia for a long time and has observed a persistent lack of genuine political will for reform.
The Swedish statement emphasized that this applies particularly to the rule of law, the fight against corruption, and the protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights, including freedom of expression and media independence.
“Countries that make progress and demonstrate a willingness to reform will be rewarded, while support may be reduced or frozen for those that lag behind in democratic development or fail to respect basic rights,” the statement said.
As a result, several forms of financial support for the Serbian state have been suspended, and the redirected funds will now be used to empower civil society and independent institutions working on democracy, transparency, and human rights.
This move aligns with the European Union’s merit-based enlargement policy, which ties financial and political support to measurable progress in democratic governance.
