Belgrade, Varshava in touch due to alleged spying relatives

The Republic of Poland's “Consult is in contact with local authorities and police and acts according to standard procedures in such cases”, the Polish Embassy's written response to Radio Free Europe question, said on May 16th.

A day earlier, Serbia's President, Allexander Vuciq, said two Polish citizens were arrested near the ammunition factory “Sloboda” in Cacak. Vuciq said they were running the factory without authorization.

Shooting and photographing military objects in Serbia is prohibited.

“A are those painters and photographers, although I don't know what kind of painting is inside of the Slobodas. That's an interesting story. And that's exactly what the factory said. I'd figure out exactly what two factories might be and one is Sloboda. Those that produce warheads, mines and grenades, because they are now consumed in large quantities everywhere”, Vuciq said.

The media, which are marked for co-operation with Serbia's Government, have claimed to have been spies of an foreign service, though official institutions have not yet been declared regarding the case, nor have they made public the details of the investigation.

In the media context, Poland and Serbia recently link claims on arms exports from Serbia to Ukraine through a Polish company.

In mid-April, Serbian President Allexander Vuciq accused an unidentified European Union country (BE) and Ukraine of standing behind false bomb reports on Air Serbia's aircraft.

Although Vuciq himself has not stated which EU state it is and even competent institutions have not provided that information, some media have written that calls for deployed explosive devices are allegedly coming from Poland.

Poland is a member of the EU and NATO, and borders on Russia.

Serbia, although it is a candidate country for EU membership, has refused to join EU sanctions against Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine and maintain regular flights to Moscow.

What is known?

Media in Serbia have reported that on May 14th in Cacak, the city in central Serbia, two Polish citizens have been detained, who without authorization have approached the weapons factory “Sloboda”

In response to this factory's questions on Radio Free Europe on 16 May, insurance officials from the factory “reportedly have spotted two people performing illegal activities”. “With the aim of securing the factory circle, in the area where the persons mentioned have been observed, security officials have been sent. The conversation has found that it is about foreign citizens and that the service of the Cacak Police Directorate has since been announced, said the factory's management response.

Also reportedly, “persons have been taken by” by police at the company's reception.

“factory Sloboda” is one of the most important in Serbia's weapons factory system, and according to authorities, in 2021 it had contracted export projects worth 50m euros.

What's unknown?

Still no official information from Serbia's competent institutions on the arrest of Polish citizens. Regarding the case, Radio Free Europe questions, Serbia's Ministry of Internal Affairs (MPB), the High Public Prosecutor in Cacak, the Information Security Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have not responded.

Where exactly the Polish citizens were, if it was banned from shooting and photography at their location, what they were accused of, and what are the further steps of competent institutions, still remain unanswered questions.