Serbia’s BIA Dismisses Spyware Allegations by Students and Opposition as ‘Trivial Sensationalism’

Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency has dismissed allegations that students and opposition politicians were targeted with spyware as “purely trivial sensationalism.”

The BIA said the allegations revealed the intentions of the people and organizations behind them, which it accused of serving foreign intelligence services and pressure groups. The agency said it operates “exclusively in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Serbia, strictly respecting our country’s legal regulations,” and declined to comment further on claims of this kind.

Ela Zekovic, a student at the School of Political Sciences, said 14 members of the student movement’s operational teams had been spied on with advanced spyware. She said the alleged intrusion became known after Apple sent users threat notifications warning that their phones may have been targeted.

Zekovic said Pegasus, spyware developed by Israeli company NSO Group, was found on one student’s phone. In another case, the Financial Times reported that domestically developed surveillance software known as NoviSpy was allegedly installed while the target was in police custody.

Radomir Lazovic, a Green-Left Front co-president and member of parliament, also said he and 13 other students and activists had been targeted since at least the beginning of the year. He said the party would raise the matter with international organizations.

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Exclusively in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Serbia, strictly respecting our country’s legal regulations.