Serbia 2020 OSAC Crime & Safety Report This is an annual report produced in conjunction with the Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. OSAC encourages travelers to use this report to gain baseline knowledge of security conditions in Serbia. For more in-depth information, review OSAC’s Serbia country page for original OSAC reporting, consular messages, and contact information, some of which may be available only to private-sector representatives with an OSAC password. Travel Advisory The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses Serbia at Level 2, indicating travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime. Review OSAC’s report, Understanding the Consular Travel Advisory System. Overall Crime and Safety Situation Crime Threats The U.S. Department of State has assessed Belgrade as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests. The considerable risk from crime is due to the activities of Organized Crime (OC) groups, as Serbia is a main trafficking route from the east to Europe. Rival OC groups target each other in a competitive market, as an ongoing turf war between OC groups over drug distribution rights, resulting in violence to include assassination by firearms and explosives. In 2019, there was one OC-related attempted murder and six OC-related murders in Serbia, a significant decrease from the previous year. None of these murders resulted in a criminal conviction, and most lack even a single suspect. All seven involved firearms. Local media reporting notes that in 2018, 35-40 OC attacks occurred in Belgrade, most involving firearms or car bombs. The attacks occurred at random times and in all areas of the city, including affluent neighborhoods. There is a continuous risk of collateral damage to the general population from such attacks, but no indication that any incident targeted U.S. nationals. In December 2019, media reported an assassination attempt against a Nikšić-based businessman (and former police official and opponent of incumbent Montenegro authorities) in Belgrade’s Crowne Plaza hotel. A sniper fired at Davidovic through a window of the hotel bar, where he sat a bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC). His wounds were not life threatening. Later, in a parking lot in New Belgrade, police located a car on fire with a rifle with optical aim inside. There are no known reoccurring issues of this nature at the hotel. In September 2019, an unknown assailant attacked a vehicle technical inspection service shop with a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), destroying the front door and causing material damage to the walls. There were no reported injuries, and the investigation is ongoing. The shop owner had been the target of a previous attack July by an unknown individual with a firearm. In 2016, masked men, purported to be OC elements, demolished a gentrifying art district in downtown Belgrade, known as Savamala, with construction vehicles in the middle of the night. Local police disregarded emergency calls; authorities made no attempt to stop the destruction as individuals ushered locals out of the area. City and federal officials have yet to hold anyone accountable despite internal investigations citing collusion and preplanning involving local police and city officials. Though this event does not directly affect the safety and security of diplomatic communities or visitors, it creates serious questions about the rule of law, as OC elements seem able to operate with impunity and with the apparent complicity of authorities. Serbia is known for its vibrant nightlife. Belgrade has become a major spring break destination for European partygoers who seek out its pubs, bars, clubs, and floating discos (splav). A number of these establishments owned by Balkan OC elements serve as social clubs and bases of operation for criminal gang members. Be mindful of personal safety if you choose to patronize the following splavs that are off- limits to U.S. Embassy personnel: Plastic, Splav Slep, and Mr. Stefan Braun. Rapidly escalating confrontations ending in violent assaults, sometimes involving weapons, have occurred at these establishments. Serbia has a large contingent of “sports fan clubs” that support Serbian professional sports teams. Club members are often 15-25 years old and known as “football hooligans.” A number of these clubs have very strong ties to criminal, right-wing, and ultra-nationalist organizations. Authorities often struggle to curb violence inside sporting events and around their venues. In recent years, there have been instances of violent assaults on foreign fans and, in one case, a murder. This risk also extends to sports pubs, where hooligans have attacked patrons or passersby for wearing an opposing team’s jersey. These hooligans are often the culprits in turf wars between criminal organizations and have strong ties within the political structure in Serbia. Use caution when attending local soccer matches, and near soccer arenas. Street crime does occur. Most crimes against visitors are crimes of opportunity. Pickpocketing in tourist areas is common, especially on Knez Mihailova Walking Street, at the Kalemegdan Fortress, and on the public transportation system. Criminals often work in well-orchestrated groups, using distraction and misdirection techniques to steal from unsuspecting victims. Embassy employees and their family members have experienced multiple pickpocketing incidents. Review OSAC’s reports, All That You Should Leave Behind. Residential burglaries are not specific to certain areas of the city; the diplomatic communities, despite increased police presence and security, are susceptible to these crimes. Most incidents occur while occupants are away from home, so residents should ensure they lock all doors and arm alarms. In 2019, official U.S. residences in Belgrade did not experience any burglaries. Vehicle theft is also a concern. Volkswagen and Opel vehicles are popular targets for thieves. Unattended or unlocked cars with items visible from the outside often fall victim to crimes of opportunity. Consider using secondary locking devices (e.g. steering wheel or transmission locks) and fuel kill switches, as thieves can overcome vehicle alarm systems easily; criminals and the public alike generally ignore audible vehicle alarms. Cybersecurity Issues Internet-based crime and cybercrime in Serbia is on the rise, with the most common types including online fraud and forgery, abuse of payment cards, and unauthorized access to computers and networks. Serbia has identified cybercrime as a growing threat in connection with money laundering, especially through a type of online fraud which consists of email account “hijackings” and fraudulent account changes, typically initiated by email. Companies in various industries have been targets, resulting in substantial fraudulent money transfers to foreign accounts. In these cases, criminal money flows are difficult to trace as they convert into virtual currencies. The skill level of cybercriminals varies widely; a subset of these criminals can pose a threat to travelers and organizations with inadequate security postures. Review OSAC’s reports, Cybersecurity Basics, Best Practices for Maximizing Security on Public Wi-Fi, and Traveling with Mobile Devices: Trends & Best Practices. Transportation-Safety Situation The emergency road assistance line in Serbia is 1987. Within Belgrade, roads lack proper maintenance and markings, and often have many potholes. Flooding occurs due to poor drainage even in areas at a high elevation. Roads are often too narrow for larger vehicles to drive within the marked lanes. Parking is difficult due to small spaces. Roads, including newly built highways, are not designed or engineered with safety in mind; many intersections, traffic circles, and major highways have little/no area to merge, multiple intersecting roads, and poor traffic signaling. Some secondary roads, particularly in the mountainous south, are in poor repair and not cleared of snow (or are closed entirely) during the winter. Driving is a challenging experience; impatient drivers coupled with high speed, reckless/aggressive driving, and sometimes ambiguous lanes make for a dangerous mix. Many accidents involve driving under the influence, aggressive driving, and not yielding to pedestrians’ right of way. Aggressive drivers sometime follow and taunt other drivers, and may get out of the car to escalate a conflict. With Serbia being a popular transit country, foreign motorists who have driven long hours from their home countries pose a risk on Serbian roads, as they may fall asleep at the wheel. Many Serbians believe that transiting foreigners driving under these conditions are responsible for some of the country’s most serious accidents. Exercise caution on roads in southern Serbia in the winter, especially along Serbia’s Ibarska Magistrala (Route 22), the highway between Belgrade and Čačak, because of the higher rate of accidents. Winter fog significantly reduces visibility, and is especially heavy in the Vojvodina region between Belgrade and the Hungarian border. Police strictly enforce parking laws that require drivers to pay for parking via text messaging. Payment Instructions are located on parking signs within the designated parking areas. Serbia has also established new traffic legislation to conform to European Union (EU) standards. It is common practice for those a vehicular accident to remain at the point of impact