29/07/2020 (Agence Europe) – Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero reiterated, on Wednesday 29 July, that an empowered civil society is a crucial component of any democratic system and should be recognised and treated as such by State institutions. She announced that the Commission was following reports that the Serbian Ministry of Finance had launched an investigation into terrorist financing and money laundering which included media and NGOs. “We are awaiting further information from the authorities, including on the selection criteria”, she said. While recalling that the fight against money laundering was an important pillar of Serbia’s EU integration, the spokesperson reiterated that civil society organisations and human rights defenders should be able to act freely. (CG)