August 13, 2025

Belgrade, Serbia — The Serbian government is secretly expanding its advanced surveillance system, manufactured by the Chinese technology giant Huawei, leaked documents reviewed by RFE/RL show. Despite years of public protests and criticism over the use of facial recognition technology, the country's Interior Ministry continues to purchase large amounts of software and services from Huawei to scale up a project called Safe City.

The program aims to provide integrated surveillance capabilities, including facial and license-plate recognition, as part of a unified citywide system. First announced in 2017, the flagship Safe City project for Belgrade involves the installation of 1,000 security surveillance cameras equipped with AI software for facial recognition.

Leaked files show that Serbian authorities have continued to expand the Safe City program secretly since its introduction. A particular contract dated to March 2024 contains a confidential order for software and services to expand Serbia's eLTE system, which functions as the backbone for Huawei's Safe City project.

The order includes a noteworthy increase in the dispatching system that uses the eLTE network, including GIS source access software that expands the ability to pull up camera feeds in specific locations. Experts say that the 35 units purchased from Huawei could support up to 3,500 additional cameras on the expanded eLTE network.

"They have deliberately purchased the capacity to support 3,500 cameras," said Conor Healy, director of government research at IPVM, a surveillance-industry research firm. "That suggests they intend to install cameras up to that amount."

The expansion of Huawei's Safe City project is significant due to the large scale and scope of the program. The leaked documents reveal that Serbian authorities have purchased software and services necessary to increase the scale of the program, despite years of public criticism over its use.

Domestic and international organizations, including Serbia's Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and the European Parliament, continue to warn about the expansion of the government's surveillance capabilities without adequate legal regulation for processing biometric data that is obtained through facial recognition software.

Huawei has maintained that it is only a manufacturer and vendor, and that responsibility for how its technology is used ultimately lies with the user. However, experts say that the company's relationship with the Serbian government raises concerns about national security and the potential misuse of surveillance technology.

The procurement order from Huawei to expand the eLTE system includes new software and related services at a substantial discount. The package of software and services received a 92 percent discount, which lowered the cost to $71,371.71 (69,087.69 euros) before tax.

Experts say that the significant cost savings are likely due to Huawei's expectation of a longer relationship with the Serbian government. "Sometimes it's not about money for Huawei and it's more about the relationship between Serbia and China," said Healy.

The issue of Chinese-style surveillance has become one of the most visible signs of China's growing presence in Serbia, with an RFE/RL investigation from 2023 showing that 42 local-level governments across the country procured Chinese-made surveillance cameras and software, some with facial recognition capabilities.

Serbia's deepening ties with Beijing over the last decade have led to high-profile investments, infrastructure projects, and a growing footprint from Chinese firms. Despite concerns about national security, the Serbian government has forged ahead with Huawei and other Chinese technology companies.