What the law regulates
The Law on Financing Political Activities regulates the sources and methods of funding, record-keeping, and control of money used by parties, coalitions, and citizens’ groups. It defines political activity as regular work and an election campaign; a campaign includes organising and holding rallies. Funding may come from public and private sources, as well as permitted loans and credits.
When spending is campaign spending
For a campaign, the law requires the recording of costs directly connected with it. A campaign participant must file a preliminary report with the Agency no later than five days before voting and a final report within 30 days after publication of the overall results report. Those reports must contain accurate and complete information on the source, amount, and structure of money collected and spent.
Reporting outside a campaign
Registered parties and political subjects represented in elected bodies must file an annual financial report with the Agency by 30 April for the preceding year. It states the source, amount, and structure of all money collected and spent, including public and private funding, loans, and credits. Contributions, gifts, and free or below-market services are recorded separately.
The Agency for Prevention of Corruption’s role
The Agency verifies and publishes annual and campaign reports, checks the filings, and may request documents from political subjects, third parties, service providers, and state bodies. For a remediable breach without major consequences, it may issue a warning; if the warning is ignored or the breach is repeated, it seeks a misdemeanour proceeding. Deliberately concealing a funding source or amount may constitute a criminal offence under the law.
What is known about payments at the SNS rally
On 1 August 2026, N1 reported that Belgrade’s Third Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office opened a case following a complaint against SNS leader Miloš Vučević after the outlet reported cash payments to some rally participants at the Arena. The office said it would not disclose details so as not to hinder an inquiry into a possible offence. N1 says that paying participants is not itself prohibited, but spending connected to political activity must be reported; that does not mean a breach has been established in this case.
Why the source of money matters
In N1’s report, Zlatko Minić of Transparency Serbia raises the possibility that payments made by private individuals could be treated as a contribution to the party and would need to be disclosed. That is the view of an organisation’s representative, not a finding by prosecutors or the Agency. The law limits private contributions and requires an unlawfully excessive contribution to be returned, or paid into the budget if return is impossible.
Current status
The law text checked on 4 August 2026 lists amendments published in Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 63/2026. Earlier debate on amendments and an ODIHR opinion remains legislative context, but the facts established, any connection between the money and a political subject, and the content of reports will be decisive for the payments case. No public prosecutorial decision or new Agency finding on this episode was found in the checked material.
Next open question
The next verifiable fact is whether prosecutors or the Agency publish a decision on this episode and whether it identifies who paid the participants, whether the payments were linked to political activity, and whether they appeared in mandatory reporting. Until such a decision exists, no one’s responsibility can be treated as established.