A group of European Parliament representatives is advocating for a delay in Serbia’s entry into the European Union due to concerns over the government’s use of spyware. The 29 members of the European Parliament (MEPs) referenced a report from the SHARE Foundation, which revealed spyware infections on the phones of Serbian student activists, including both Pegasus and NoviSpy variants.
While the report did not assign responsibility for the Pegasus infections, evidence from the NoviSpy cases suggested involvement by Serbian government authorities. The MEPs stated, “This is not a technical glitch; it is a direct state attack on democracy,” highlighting the regime’s use of illegal digital surveillance to undermine political opposition ahead of upcoming elections.
The MEPs are calling for Serbia’s EU accession process to be slowed until a thorough investigation into the spyware usage is completed, and they demand improvements in rule-of-law accountability as a condition for accession. They also urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to cancel a planned visit to Serbia, following outrage over Serbia’s response to the death of former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic.
Hannah Neumann, one of the MEPs who signed the letter, noted that while some demands may be met, the issue of spyware is part of a broader pattern of government misconduct. The Serbian government has not responded to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
The MEPs concluded that “appeasement has failed” and emphasized the need for the European Commission to uphold fundamental democratic standards as a non-negotiable requirement. This situation adds to the scrutiny faced by EU member nations over their own alleged spyware use, with recent revelations prompting renewed calls for action against such abuses.
For further details, see the full report by CyberScoop.
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