EditSerbia expands Chinese-made surveillance system amid protests against Vučić regime
Leaked documents reveal that Serbia is significantly expanding its advanced Chinese-made surveillance system despite EU warnings
As Serbia pursues EU membership, its growing reliance on Chinese-made surveillance systems, like Huawei’s Safe City, sparks controversy.
Supporters claim the technology bolsters public safety by combating crime and terrorism, but critics warn it enables authoritarian control under President Aleksandar Vučić. With no legal framework governing biometric surveillance and a history of targeting dissent, the expansion of these systems amid ongoing anti-regime protests raises alarms about their potential to suppress dissent and undermine democratic freedoms.
Leaked documents obtained by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reveal that Serbia is significantly expanding its advanced Chinese-made surveillance system, despite warnings from the European Union and mounting domestic opposition. The development comes against the backdrop of intensifying protests against the regime of President Aleksandar Vučić, which critics accuse of consolidating authoritarian control through mass surveillance and suppression of dissent.
Confidential expansion of Huawei’s Safe City project
According to documents reviewed by RFE/RL, Serbia has continued to develop its eLTE network, a secure, Chinese-manufactured communication platform based on Huawei technology. This network connects surveillance cameras, police terminals, and command centers operated by Serbia’s Ministry of Interior. The documents, part of a trove of over 1.7 million files leaked following a June 2025 cyberattack on Serbian IT company Informatika AD, detail a confidential March 2024 purchase order for equipment, software, and services to expand the eLTE system, which underpins Huawei’s “Safe City” project in Serbia.
The Safe City initiative, launched in 2017 through a strategic partnership between Ministry of Interior and Huawei, aims to deploy intelligent video surveillance systems across Serbian cities, including facial and license-plate recognition capabilities. The leaked documents confirm the acquisition of advanced dispatching systems and GIS software, enabling access to camera feeds at specific locations. Experts consulted by RFE/RL estimate that the purchased equipment could support up to 3,500 additional cameras, significantly enhancing Serbia’s surveillance infrastructure.
“They have deliberately purchased the capacity to support 3,500 cameras,” said Conor Healy, director of government research at IPVM, a surveillance-industry research firm. “That suggests they intend to install cameras up to that amount.” Such an expansion, if deployed in Belgrade alone, would result in a camera density rarely seen outside China, Healy noted.
“Serbia at breaking point, the return to the status quo is impossible”
Protests and public backlash
The expansion of Serbia’s surveillance network coincides with widespread protests against Vučić’s government, which have escalated in recent months over allegations of electoral fraud, media suppression, and erosion of democratic institutions. Demonstrators, including civic activists and opposition groups, have accused the regime of leveraging Chinese technology to monitor and intimidate dissenters. The Safe City project, with its potential for mass biometric surveillance, has become a flashpoint in the broader struggle against what critics describe as Vučić’s authoritarian drift.
Domestic and international organizations, including Serbia’s Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and the European Parliament, have repeatedly warned about the risks of unchecked surveillance. In April 2021, a group of European Parliament members expressed concerns to then-Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, cautioning that Belgrade risked becoming “the first city in Europe with a significant portion of its territory covered by mass surveillance technologies.” The lawmakers criticised the lack of transparency in the procurement of Huawei’s high-resolution cameras and the absence of a legal framework regulating biometric data processing.
Serbia’s government has faced significant pushback against its surveillance ambitions. In December 2022, proposed amendments to police laws that would have legalised mass biometric surveillance were withdrawn following intense public pressure from human rights and privacy activists. Despite official claims that facial-recognition technology is not yet in use, RFE/RL investigations have shown that Chinese-made surveillance equipment, including systems with facial-recognition capabilities, has been procured by local governments across Serbia.
Lack of transparency
The Safe City project has been shrouded in secrecy, with contracts classified as confidential and little public information available about the number, locations, or costs of installed cameras. The leaked documents, verified by RFE/RL through cross-referencing with public databases and details such as signatures and stamps, reveal that Huawei provided the equipment and services at substantial discounts. The March 2024 purchase order lists a pre-tax cost of over $3 million (€2.6 million), reduced to $1.2 million (€1 million) after a 57% discount. A specific package, including GIS software to support up to 3,500 cameras, was discounted by 92 percent, lowering its cost from $1.1 million (€961,501.72) to $71,371.71 (€69,087.69).
“The most likely explanation to me would be that Huawei is expecting a longer relationship with the Serbian government,” Healy told RFE/RL. “Sometimes it’s not about money for Huawei and it’s more about the relationship between Serbia and China.” While Huawei has maintained that it is merely a vendor and that responsibility for technology use lies with the client, its deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party and allegations of enabling espionage have led to restrictions on its technology in the United States, Australia, Canada, and several European countries.
Serbia’s deepening ties with China
Serbia’s continued collaboration with Huawei reflects its broader alignment with Beijing, which has intensified through infrastructure projects, investments, and the growing presence of Chinese firms. As a candidate for EU membership, Serbia faces scrutiny over its compliance with European standards on privacy and security. The expansion of Chinese surveillance technology raises concerns about Serbia’s dependence on China and the potential for misuse of biometric data to suppress dissent.
A 2023 RFE/RL investigation revealed that 42 local governments in Serbia had procured Chinese-made surveillance cameras, some equipped with facial-recognition capabilities. Critics argue that such systems, combined with the eLTE network’s secure communication platform, could enable the Vučić regime to target activists and protesters, further eroding democratic freedoms.
The Serbian Interior Ministry and Huawei did not respond to RFE/RL’s requests for comment. Informatika AD confirmed it was the target of a cyberattack but declined to address questions about the procurement. Serbian authorities have consistently downplayed the use of facial-recognition technology, insisting it is not yet deployed. However, the leaked documents and ongoing protests underscore public skepticism about these assurances.
Sources: RFE/RL, BETA
More Serbia coverage here.
Caption: Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) leave following their meeting in Belgrade, Serbia, 8 May 2024. The Chinese president is on a two-day official visit to Serbia. EPA/ANDREJ CUKIC
Updated: August 14, 2025 - 05:58
