STOCKHOLM / BELGRADE – On 3 November 2025, the Government of Sweden announced that parts of the support to state authorities in Serbia will be discontinued and that support will be directed to a greater extent towards strengthening civil society.
In a press release, the Swedish Government assessed that “developments in Serbia have gone in the wrong direction”.
“This applies to everything from growing corruption to the failure to uphold the principles of the rule of law. Countries cannot expect Swedish support if they do not deliver the reforms and development that we expect. That is why we are now making these changes”, said Minister of Development Assistance and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa.
The press release adds that the government is closely monitoring developments in Serbia and has, for some time, noted shortcomings in the Serbian government’s commitment to reform.
“This applies in particular to the work to uphold the principles of the rule of law, to combat corruption and to protect fundamental freedoms and rights such as freedom of expression and the press”, the statement reads.
The government has therefore decided, in accordance with the principles of merit-based EU enlargement, to suspend certain forms of support for the Serbian state and instead reallocate resources to strengthen civil society.
According to the official data, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) distributed 152.4 million SEK (about 14 million EUR) in assistance to Serbia in 2024. Around 52% of the assistance was distributed to the civil society, and about 18% to the state institutions.
Serbian MFA: Swedish position on reforms does not reflect the actual situation
Reacting to the announcement of the Swedish government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia stated yesterday evening that it had regretfully taken note of the announcements regarding the intention of the Government Sweden to redirect part of the development aid intended for Serbia, “accompanied by an explanation citing alleged problems in the areas of the rule of law, media freedom, and the fight against corruption”.
“Such positions, if official, do not reflect the actual situation nor the spirit of partnership that has existed between our two countries for many years”, the MFA press release reads.
The press release states that Serbia is a sovereign state that carries out its reforms in accordance with its Constitution, laws, and European obligations, but not under pressure, conditionality, or political labelling.
“Our country fully respects the right of every state to independently determine its priorities, but at the same time expects that assessments of institutional processes be based on objective and verifiable facts. In the previous period, measurable progress has been achieved in numerous areas that directly affect the daily lives of citizens; therefore, we expect that any evaluation of reform efforts be based on real indicators, not on political narratives or media interpretations”, the MFA stated.
The press release concludes with an assertion that the Republic of Serbia remains open to cooperation with all partners who build their relations on mutual respect and equality, but will always firmly reject approaches that involve lecturing, conditioning, or attempts at internal political influence.
“At the same time, it continues its European path as a state that expects respect and makes its own decisions independently, in the interest of its citizens and the stability of the region”, the statement concludes.
