A Belgrade-based NGO, CRTA (Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability), with the help of Croatian politician Gordan Bosanac, is establishing a lobbying office right in the heart of the European Union—Brussels.
CRTA promotes democratic reforms, strengthening of democracy, inclusive dialogue, and other well-known phrases often echoed by EU bureaucrats. Now, this agenda is expanding through their new office in Brussels.
Who Is Gordan Bosanac?
Gordan Bosanac is a Croatian politician and Member of the European Parliament. He holds a master’s degree in physics from the University of Zagreb, completed in 1999.
Between 2000 and 2019, Bosanac worked as a program director and later chief analyst at the Center for Peace Studies, focusing on LGBT rights, migration, rule of law, and security issues. In 2019, he co-founded the political platform “Mozemo” (“We Can”).
He was elected to the Zagreb City Assembly in 2021, and in 2024 became a member of the Croatian Parliament. However, he resigned that post after being elected to the European Parliament.
Croatian Influence and Protests in Serbia
There are increasing signs that some opposition activities and protests in Serbia are being coordinated, at least partially, from Zagreb—specifically from the address Savska cesta 39.
Supporting this claim is the fact that several Serbian nationals accused of plotting unrest in Serbia are currently in Croatia. This includes students of Dinko Gruhonjic, led by Mila Pajic and Branislav Djordjevic, who allegedly tried to stir chaos during a rally in Belgrade on March 15, with the support of certain opposition parties and anarchist groups.
Dinko Gruhonjic is known for making inflammatory remarks against the Serbian people and has often targeted the Serbian Orthodox Church. Interestingly, his son is employed at the University of Zagreb.
At the beginning of the student protests, philosophy students from Novi Sad were encouraged by their colleagues to use the “Blockade Cookbook” from the University of Zagreb—a manual on how to organize protests and block university operations.
What Is CRTA?
CRTA is a civil society organization that promotes Western political ideals, rule of law, and protection of civil rights. Since 2016, it has focused on monitoring national and local elections in Serbia and coordinates the network “Citizens on Watch,” engaging numerous volunteers in election monitoring.
Notably, CRTA focuses its criticism solely on the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and has never publicly condemned violent acts carried out by opposition groups.
CRTA’s alignment with left-liberal interests is visible through its network of partners and funders, which include the Rockefeller Foundation, UKAID, USAID, NDI, and embassies such as those of the UK, US, Germany, and the Netherlands.
When it comes to media presence, CRTA works exclusively with so-called “free” and “independent” media outlets such as N1, Nova S, Al Jazeera Balkans, and Insajder TV.
All this reveals CRTA’s role in a broader left-liberal network, acting as a pressure group on the ground. The organization appears to link opposition activists and media during election campaigns to influence the political landscape.
CRTA’s latest project, EUCRTA, aims to shift influence further into the EU by opening a Brussels office. The goal is to apply political pressure on Serbia through parliamentary groups, EU officials, and Brussels-based organizations.
To that end, CRTA has rented offices near the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission at Schuman Square and has begun hiring new staff for its Brussels operations.
