Investigation: Serbia directed at least €250,000 to groups promoting SNS — Balkan Insight
Since 2023, the Diaspora Directorate of Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allocated at least €250,000 to organizations in North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. As Balkan Insight reports, an investigation found that these recipients publicly promoted the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), spread pro-Russian narratives, glorified war criminals, or used right-wing anti-gender rhetoric.
Serbia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora Directorate did not respond to journalists’ requests for comment. The authors of the investigation noted that these findings support warnings by Serbian civil society organizations about the possible use of state funds to finance structures close to the SNS.
Grants in North Macedonia
The Peace, Concord, Stability association from the city of Kumanovo received €3,400 for Orthodox religious projects and another €2,500 for an initiative to preserve the Cyrillic script. Its head, Maja Denkovska, said in May that an event organized by the association was intended to support Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Participants at the gathering wore T-shirts bearing the SNS election campaign slogan, “Serbia Wins.”
The Community of Serbs in Macedonia — Bitola, headed by Zoran Žugić, has received €21,300 since 2023. Žugić denied the political nature of the funding, saying that the money was provided exclusively for cultural, folklore and sports events and commemorations of historical dates. At the same time, according to the investigation, he criticized student protests in Serbia and shared materials denying the 1995 Srebrenica genocide.
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The Serbian Cultural Centre in Skopje, whose head Vasilka Kitanović regularly publishes SNS materials, has received €84,500 since 2023.
Organizations in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
In Serbia, the Izrazajnost association received €23,800 in 2023–2024 for two projects promoting the Cyrillic script. It is headed by actor Milan Bosiljčić, who signed a statement in support of the SNS in 2023. Nearly €34,000 for youth camps was received by the Belgrade Centre for Education and Youth Development CEROB. Previously, the Centre for Investigative Journalism of Serbia reported that cash was paid at CEROB’s office to SNS activists who campaigned for voters.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Srbsko sabranje Bastionik organization from Banja Luka received approximately €34,000 for six projects in 2023–2025. According to the investigation, it took part in anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-gender campaigns and also co-organized a documentary film festival with RT Balkan, a Kremlin-funded media outlet. The Jadovno 1941 organization received more than €13,500 for a website about victims of World War II-era concentration camps.
Political analyst Tanja Topić from Banja Luka described this funding as part of Belgrade’s interference in the political and public life of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In her view, support for organizations involved in ideological and political campaigns is aimed at strengthening national identity and political loyalty.
