Another cycle of threats to BCSP

“You will be destroyed from the first to the last” reads the threateningletter that arrived at the address of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) on February 13th 2019. Similar letter was received by other civil society organizations.

The BCSP reported threats to the police and will file a criminal complaint against the sender. We expect reaction in accordance with the law from the institutions in the coming period. We also appeal to state officials and the media not to contribute to the further spread of the atmosphere of hostility towards civil society organizations.

In an atmosphere where everyone who critically monitors the work of institutions is proclaimed a state traitor, it isn't surprising that individuals send such threats. An atmosphere of hostility and fear of civil society organizations has been created in the society for years. At the end of the last year, the Assembly held a lively debate on threats to the security of the state.

On that occasion, the officials of Security Information Agency (BIA) highlighted that the most intrusive threat to Serbia are „covert actions of external factors“ and its influence on certain opposition politicians, media, NGOs and unions. Following these statements, it does not come as a surprise that we are witnessing constant attacks on critically-oriented media and the civil society organizations.

We remind that these threats are the latest in a series of attacks on the BCSP. In May 2018 an apartment of theBCSP Executive Director, in which he lives with his wife and child, has been broken into and before that, in August 2016, his car was vandalized with a threatening message „Watch yourself“ after a series of statements considering the demolition case in Savamala. Besides, the BCSP has been publicly accussed  of “working for foreign services” or “contributing to the collapse the national security system“.

As an independent research centre, BCSP works to improve the safety of citizens and society, based on democratic principles and respect of human rights for 22 years and will remain dedicated to breaking fear in the coming period.