Tjaša Feher

As @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu arrives in Belgrade tomorrow, every word, handshake, and photo with those in power will be watched closely by students and 🇷🇸 citizens who, for 11 months, have faced violence while fighting for fundamental rights and democracy. It's time for🇪🇺 to choose a side!

⚖️ Authorities only talk about attacks on police and ignore violence against citizens. Arrest data are withheld, obscuring the scale of repression.

What is happening in Serbia is no longer just repression. It is an organised campaign to crush civic resistance through fear, violence, and propaganda.

🗣️ President Vučić warned of assassinations 'in the streets,' while Speaker Brnabić said the canopy collapse was an act of terrorism meant to trigger a colour revolution.
📰 Pro-govt media compare protesters to Nazis and terrorists, portraying ordinary citizens as violent extremists. (🧵/5)

🔫 Use of firearms by police: Officers were filmed waving pistols during protests, with reports of demonstrators being beaten with weapons.
📹 Intimidation tactics: Police filmed crowds at protests, raising fears of reprisals against participants. (🧵/4)

🪧 Police brutality: In Valjevo, police in riot gear beat two underage young men. This reflects a broader pattern of #excessiveforce nationwide.
🔥 Escalating confrontations: Protesters, angered by repression, set fire to ruling party offices in several cities (Valjevo, #Belgrade, Novi Sad). (🧵/3)

⚠️ Key developments (since mid-August):
🎥 Abuse of detainees: Videos show young protesters forced to kneel against walls. Even a 12-year-old child was detained.
🚨 Sexual violence allegations: Female students who were detained reported being threatened with rape and physically assaulted. (🧵/2)

🚨 Over the past week, the situation in #Serbia has worsened dramatically. Peaceful protests are being met with violence, intimidation, and propaganda. Citizens, including minors, are facing brutal treatment at the hands of the state. #SerbiaProtests (🧵/1)

Thrilled to be part of Thursday’s @humanrightsfirst.org panel (5pm CET / 11am EST) alongside some fantastic people.
We’ll be covering corruption, human rights, and sanctions, and what recent changes mean for accountability. It’s August, but this promises to be great summer brain food. Join us!

National security expert Buda said: Putin’s move shows 'who’s the real boss' which erodes Hungary’s already shaky credibility within Europe. “What’s good for Moscow cannot be good for Hungary,” he warned.🧵/5

The statement also blames Zelensky, accusing 🇺🇦 intelligence services and the diaspora inside 🇭🇺 to destabilise the country. Former CI officer Katrein told Telex: “This is a message to everyone… 🇷🇺 is watching 🇭🇺 and, when convenient, may more actively intervene to steer things their way.”🧵/4

The SVR even names opposition leader Magyar as Orbán’s probable replacement, claiming 'considerable financial, administrative, media, and lobbying resources' are already mobilised in his favour. They allege support comes through 🇩🇪 political foundations, 🇳🇴 human rights NGOs, and the EPP.🧵/3

Here’s the kicker: Hungarian state news agency MTI printed the SVR’s statement without context or explanation, effectively handing Russian propaganda a smooth megaphone. The SVR isn’t a neutral news source, it’s 🇷🇺 overseas spy agency, used for political meddling and influence ops abroad.🧵/2

Putyin pórázt villantott az orosz hírszerzési jelentéssel, amivel beszállt a magyar választási kampányba Azzal, hogy az orosz kémszolgálat adott ki közleményt, Putyin félreérthetetlenné tette, hogy kifejezetten hírszerzési művelet keretében foglalkozik a magyar belpolitikával. Buda Péter szerint egy évek...

So, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the direct successor to the Soviet-era KGB, has officially started meddling in next year’s Hungarian elections. They issued a statement claiming the 🇪🇺 Commission is pushing for 'regime change in Budapest.' That’s… wild. tinyurl.com/46xsjx87 🧵/1

The President and high officials persistently flare up tensions, demonstrating no genuine commitment to de-escalate violence and repression. (3/🧵)

Nine students were arrested on accusations of plotting to overthrow the constitutional order after illegal wiretapping of student plenums at two #UniversityofBelgrade faculties and #surveillanceofWhatsApp communication in the case another student. (2/🧵)

🚧 Protests in Serbia: since 29 June, until today, @crta.bsky.social has recorded more than 500 arrests at largely peaceful protests and blockades across 🇷🇸. Most of those arrested have been released just hours after they were detained, with misdemeanor charges for traffic violations. (1/🧵)

In a surprising move, the Eparchy of Žiča of the #SerbianOrthodoxChurch, which had remained silent during months of student protests, issued a public statement calling for a calming of tensions and reminding authorities of their fundamental duty: to protect the people. (5/🧵)

Meanwhile, in #NoviSad, ahead of the Exit music festival, protesters blocked the main bridge leading to the event, saying they want to “show the world the truth about Serbia.” (4/🧵)

In #Kragujevac, thousands blocked the city’s main road in support of the arrested students and a high school teacher who was fired for publicly backing them. (3/🧵)

At the same time, a #Belgrade court ordered 30-day detention for two students accused of inciting a forceful regime change. In response, lawyers across 🇷🇸 started a three-day strike to express solidarity with citizens and protest judicial abuses, and pressure from the executive branch. (2/🧵)

Još dvojici uhapšenih Užičana određen pritvor do 30 dana, počela blokada suda Za još dva Užičanina, koji su privedeni posle protesta u tom gradu, određen je pritvor do 30 dana. Pritvor je određen Branku Jovanoviću i Marku Krejoviću. Građa

📋⚠️ Updates from #Serbia: in #Užice (SW Serbia), 7 citizens were detained for breaking through a 🚔 cordon during a highway blockade. bit.ly/44oyx2t In response, citizens began blocking the local courthouse, demanding that all detainees be released - otherwise they'll escalate protests. (1/🧵)

We ask for the rule of law, they give us repression.

Stop the police violence and repression of students and ordinary Serb citizens.
#blokada #Serbiaprotests

#Belgrade right now: citizens are blocking main roads, intersections and bridges in a response to yesterday’s police brutality and mass arrests of students. Let the civil disobedience commence. Blokada, blokada. 🤍🇷🇸

Budapest Pride 🏳️‍🌈🇭🇺 the ban backfired! Peaceful, safe, happy and huge!
Organisers estimate a crowd over 200,000 people.

This wasn’t just a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. It was a collective answer to the Orbaán regime, to
intimidation and authoritarianism. Tens of thousands marched to say: Hungary is our home too! The government blinked. The people didn’t.

In the days leading up to the march, the Hungarian government threatened harsh consequences: €500 fines, up to a year in prison for organizers, facial recognition surveillance, etc. A clear attempt to intimidate. But still - ordinary Hungarians of all
ages showed up, in overwhelming numbers.

A Pride volt az Orbán-rendszer temetési menete A rendszerváltás idejének hangulatát lehetett érezni abban a tömegben, ahol a legtöbben legfeljebb gyerekek voltak akkoriban. A rendőrök a korábbi fenyegetések ellenére szakszerűen tették a dolgukat, ...

The energy at #BudapestPride felt like something from the days of the regime change in the 90s, except most of the crowd had been just kids back then. Yesterday they stood united, joyful, and defiant. It wasn’t just a celebration: it was a statement of resistance.
. hvg.hu/360/20250628...

Media regulation but also other legislative proposals and reforms must be anchored in transparency, rule of law, and genuine public interest—not political convenience and box-ticking exercises.

This underscores a broader concern: accelerated or procedurally flawed appointments not grounded in merit - and perhaps in defiance of legal standards - pose a threat to democratic processes and 🇷🇸’s 🇪🇺 integration path.

In the public statement (linked above), participants highlighted that none of the 30 formal complaints addressing serious legal violations and misinterpretations of the Law on Electronic Media were considered during key parliamentary committee sessions.