[EVENT] Opposition leader arrested for illegal election finance activity

It was a cold November morning when police knocked on the door of Nebojša Stefanović's Belgrade apartment. According to the arrest report, after being told to come outside, the former internal affairs minister threatened to get his gun from the bedroom closet. The officers then struggled to get him into handcuffs. Stefanović denies the report, instead claiming the bruises on his body are the result of police brutality.

The leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) faces charges relating to his party's participation in the 2026 election. Prosecutors allege that the SNS accepted 2 million euro in cash from an international drug trafficking enterprise. In exchange, Stefanović allegedly promised he would lead a hands-off approach to their activities if he became prime minister.

After Police Director Vesna Lazarević was recently accused of falsifying evidence, many are questioning the government's case against the opposition leader. All major opposition parties are demanding his release.