Danilo Curcic

The house in Zrenjanin which Vietnamese workers are living. November 2021. Photo: A11/ Sara Nikolic

As the alliance between Belgrade and Beijing becomes ever solider, Serbia has become the main Balkan hub for Chinese investments.

The rule of law is being bent, however, claims Danilo Curcic from A11, an NGO dealing with workers' rights.

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic's pledge that Belgrade will "not shelter anyone who fights against Turkish interests" has alarmed rights lawyers in Serbia, who warn that extraditions could violate Serbian laws and international obligations.

After Serbia ignored the advice of the UN Committee Against Torture and extradited Kurdish political activist Cevdet Ayaz to Turkey, activists and experts have accused of Belgrade of disrespecting important human rights bodies.

Belgrade-based tourist company CitySoul has cancelled its planned "Gypsy Tour" of the Serbian capital, which was to include driving to Roma neighbourhoods, seeing how people live there and "optional talking to a Gypsy", after the tour was accused of racism.

"Unique in our city - Roma safari! Optionally you can talk to them, for 11,200 dinars [93 euros]" read one Twitter comment.

The two NGOs, YUCOM and Astra, sent a joint letter to Vucic on Thursday urging his government to implement new methods to investigate child trafficking, alleging that hundreds of lawsuits initiated by parents are not being properly addressed.