Arrests and investigations begin in Serbia after election as old guard comes under scrutiny

Arrests and new criminal investigations have begun in Serbia following the October 25 parliamentary election, in which the student-backed list won by a wide margin over the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) of former President Aleksandar Vucic. The result ended 14 years of SNS dominance. The new majority has not yet taken control of any levers of power, but prosecutors have moved with unusual speed.

Flight to Moscow turned back

On November 3, Air Serbia flight JU134 from Belgrade to Moscow was ordered to return while already over Lithuanian airspace. On board were three senior figures from the Vucic era: Aleksandar Vulin, a former defense and interior minister and ex-head of the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA); Dusan Bajatovic, director of state gas company Srbijagas; and Nenad Popovic, a minister without portfolio. Unofficial reports say the cause was a security breach, with Vulin allegedly boarding without the mandatory screening. He has been under US sanctions since 2023. Vulin said he was going to discuss extending a gas deal with Russia, while Bajatovic said he did not know why the other two were travelling.

Arrests and cases

Four people were arrested in Novi Sad on suspicion of vote-buying, and six in Mali Zvornik on suspicion of helping citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina register residence in Serbia so they could vote. Davor Macura, owner of Alta Bank, was arrested on suspicion of illegally entering the bank's vault and removing the equivalent of about €383 million, days after the National Bank of Serbia revoked the bank's license. Senior police officials, the head of the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute and several public company managers have also been detained.

Following reports of possible document destruction, Prosecutor General Zagorka Dolovac issued a binding instruction on October 29 to prevent it.

Experts urge quality over speed

Prosecutor Bojana Savovic sees the sudden activity as an attempt to win favor with the new authorities and hopes it will not hurt the quality of indictments. Tanja Arsic, an incoming MP from the Students' List, warned that indictments should not be filed without sufficient evidence. Both say success will be measured by final convictions. Vucic has said he is not afraid of being arrested.