The results in investigations and prosecutions in high-level corruption cases, which are under the jurisdiction of the Special State Prosecutor's Office and the Special Police Department, have been further consolidated based on the strong and sustainable positive trend achieved over the past few years.
This is stated in the European Commission's non-paper on the rule of law, which "Vijesti" had access to.
The document states that in 2025, the SDT launched four investigations against eight defendants for high-level corruption crimes.
"Seven indictments were filed against 17 defendants. In the period from September 1, 2025 to January 31, 2026, the Special State Prosecutor's Office initiated two investigations against five persons for high-level corruption crimes and filed two indictments against six persons," the statistical data in the EC document listed.
The non-paper emphasized that the complexity of high-level corruption cases continues to grow, which confirms, as they emphasized, the resolute commitment of the prosecution and law enforcement agencies (SDT and SPO), improved specialization and strategic coordination, including at the international level.
"At the same time, the quality of indictments also continued to improve significantly. In 2025, 97,62% of indictments were confirmed. In addition, the improved quality contributes to the development of case law and jurisprudence in this area, including through reliance on standards and practices developed in Europe," the EC's informal document states.
The figure of 97,62% is a statistical figure on the number of confirmed indictments of the Special State Prosecutor's Office in 2025.
The European Commission also states that the track record in proactive investigations, prosecutions and final decisions, including convictions in serious and organised crime cases, has continued to consolidate.
It is also stated that the number of cases of freezing and seizing assets, as well as the number of financial investigations initiated, has slightly increased.
"In April 2026, as part of a significant operation led by the Special State Prosecutor's Office and the Special Police Department, at least three members of the so-called Skalja organized crime group were arrested, suspected of involvement in at least six murders over the previous decade," the non-paper writes.
When it comes to the fight against organized crime, the EC assessed that the legislative framework is largely aligned with the EU acquis and international standards, and that institutions continue to achieve results in prosecuting the most serious forms of crime.
The EC has noted that international cooperation is improving, as is the use of financial investigations in complex cases.
The work of the SDT and SPO and cooperation with international partners, especially with Europol, Eurojust and partner services from the region and EU member states, were positively assessed.
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