05.10.2016.

SHARE

News:

The system of protection and rescue is the ‘weak link’ in Serbia’s security system

Expedient financing of civil protection at the local level was the topic of a discussion held on Friday, September 30, in Majdanpek, which was organized by the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCSP) with the support of the Resource Centre, a partner of the PRO-CURE Group. A case study “Extorted ...

Expedient financing of civil protection at the local level was the topic of a discussion held on Friday, September 30, in Majdanpek, which was organized by the Belgrade Center for Security Policy (BCSP) with the support of the Resource Centre, a partner of the PRO-CURE Group.

A case study “Extorted procurement-how local authorities unlawfully procure equipment for firefighters” by Dejan Skoric was also presented during the discussion.

’Even though around 17 000 outbreaks of fire occur in Serbia every year, in which around 80 people are killed, fire-rescue units of the Sector for Emergency Situations have inadequate and outdated equipment. Meanwhile, Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to delay the announced purchases of new fire engines,’ says the author of the study.

Skoric added that local governments can not carry out the procurement for the Ministry of Internal Affairs because they are not able to finance the procurement within their own jurisdiction.

’Majdanpek is one of the few municipalities in Serbia that has prepared a threat assessment in case of emergencies and that is getting ready to make a plan for protection and rescue. The implementation of this plan, however, will be difficult due to the lack of funds, ’ warns Drasko Popovic, coordinator of the Headquarters for Emergency Situations of Majdanpek.

The system of protection and rescue is the ‘weak link’ in the security system of the Republic of Serbia. There is no excuse for the lack of funds since a large amount of resources are lost each year and the economic growth of the country is hampered by natural disasters, it was pointed out at the meeting.

’The 2010 law on emergency situations is still just a ‘dead letter’ on paper. Only 13 municipalities in Serbia have developed threat assessments and none of them has a plan for protection and rescue in emergency situations. Investing in prevention is one of the best state investments, because for every dinar you invest, you get a return of seven dinars. It is as if the state put money into savings with an interest rate of 700%,’ says BCSP researcher Vladimir Erceg.

Representatives of the municipal councils and municipal administrations, as well as media and civil society organizations representatives attended the discussion.

The event was part of the project PRO-CURE: HYPERLINK “http://bezbednost.org/All-projects/5777/PROCURE-Strengthening-Civil-Scrutiny-of-Public.shtml”StrengtheningHYPERLINK “http://bezbednost.org/All-projects/5777/PROCURE-Strengthening-Civil-Scrutiny-of-Public.shtml” Civil Scrutiny of Public Procurement in the Security Sectororganized by BCSP and Society Against Corruption with the financial support of the EU Delegation to Serbia and the Office for Cooperation with Civil Society of the Republic of Serbia.

Report was translated by BCSP Intern Aleksandra Lazic.

 

Tags: ..., ‘weak, &rsquo, civil, discussion, emergency, link’, procurement, protection, public, rescue, scrutiny, security, serbia, serbia’s, situations, society, system

RELATED

  • We Call for the Urgent Invitation of a UN Fact-Finding Mission into the Alleged Use of an Acoustic Device Against Citizens on 15 March 2025

    Date: 24.06.2026.

    Author: Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

    Civil society organisations express deep concern over the direction of the investigative actions concerning the incident of 15 March 2025, which have recently been undertaken by the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade. The current conduct of this Prosecutor’s Office is the exact opposite of the thorough and impartial investigation that such a grave case requires. Instead, it indicates a deliberate intention to cover up the actual incident and divert public attention towards the political persecution of victims and all those who have provided them with legal or other forms of support.

  • A Threat to Democracy: Mass Surveillance – Speech by Pieter Omtzigt at Sandbox Conference 2026

    Date: 02.06.2026.

    Author: Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

    The following transcript is from the opening speech by Pieter Omtzigt, former member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and former rapporteur on Pegasus and other spyware and secret state surveillance. The speech was delivered at the Sandbox Conference organised by the Civil Society Digital Security Network (CSDSN) in Tirana on 27 May 2026.

  • Identify and Punish the Attackers of Journalist Vuk Cvijić

    Date: 18.12.2025.

    Author: Belgrade Centre for Security Policy

    The Civil Committee for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Whistleblowers strongly condemns the threats directed at journalist Vuk Cvijić, which occurred on December 17 and were allegedly triggered by an article he wrote for the weekly Radar.