Driven by media reports of police brutality in Valjevo in August 2025, the Ombudsman (Protector of Citizens) Zoran Pašalić conducted an oversight visit to the local police department, according to an official note obtained and published by CINS. While the Ombudsman’s initial conclusions suggest that the police did not violate the law, people who spoke with CINS point to a series of failures by the Ombudsman in investigating this case, as well as a problematic official note that prejudges the final outcome.

As government officials keep telling the public about millions of euros being invested in the construction of the EXPO, the stories of some foreign workers reveal a bleaker reality. Through testimonies of those who worked on this national project’s construction site, as well as inspection records and court proceedings, CINS uncovers how some foreign workers become victims of undeclared work.