Croatian citizen expelled from Serbia, declared a security risk

Francetic worked in Serbia as the director of the television platform NetTV Plus, which was part of the regional company United Group. During his years in Belgrade, he says he never had any problems with the law, nor was he politically active.

“I can’t explain what happened – I’m not involved in politics, I don’t make public appearances, and I don’t post anything on social media,” Francetic told the Croatian daily Jutarnji list.

He says the shock came when he was summoned to the police station under the pretext of resolving a “minor administrative matter.” Once there, in an office with several officers present, his residency permit was revoked, and he was given seven days to leave the country.

What hit him especially hard was the fact that just a few weeks earlier, he had invested his life savings into buying an apartment in Belgrade.

His lawyer filed an appeal against the Ministry’s decision, and the Administrative Court in Belgrade agreed to suspend the deportation order pending the final ruling. Nevertheless, due to the uncertainty and potential consequences at the border, Francetic chose to leave Serbia within the legal timeframe.

He is just one of several Croatian citizens who have been expelled from Serbia in recent months under similar claims of being “a security risk.” A Croatian doctor was also recently ordered to leave the country after more than a decade of living and working in Belgrade.

The European Commission has voiced concern over this practice and urged Serbia to ensure transparent and legally grounded procedures in the deportation of foreign nationals.