Serbia’s military exports to Israel have seen a dramatic surge in the first half of 2025, already surpassing the record-breaking figures of the entire previous year. This escalation in arms trade comes amidst conflicting statements from Serbian officials regarding export policies.
Record-Breaking Exports Revealed
An investigation by BIRN and Haaretz, utilizing customs data, revealed that Serbia exported ammunition valued at approximately €55.5 million to Israel in the first six months of 2025. This figure eclipses the total €47.9 million in exports for the entirety of 2024, which was itself a record high. The export periods closely align with 16 Israeli cargo flights from Belgrade to the Nevatim airbase, identified through flight-tracking websites.
Key Players and Controversies
- Beyond the state-owned company Jugoimport SDPR, five private Serbian firms have been involved in exporting arms and ammunition to Israel over the last two years.
- Two of these private entities, Edepro and Romax Trade, supplied ammunition to prominent Israeli security firms that serve the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
- One of the recipient firms, IMI Systems, is owned by Elbit Systems, a major Israeli arms manufacturer. Elbit Systems was notably mentioned in a UN Special Rapporteur report linking the company to profitable activities amidst the conflict in Gaza.
Official Statements and Contradictions
Serbia has maintained a stance of secrecy regarding its arms exports to Israel, rejecting freedom of information requests by citing confidentiality. President Aleksandar Vučić made contradictory statements on the matter. In June, he initially claimed Serbia was the sole European country selling ammunition to Israel. However, later that month, he announced a suspension of all arms and ammunition exports, stating that "special decisions will have to be made if anything is to go out."
Despite President Vučić’s declaration of a moratorium on June 23rd, data from Flightradar24 indicated an Israeli cargo plane departed Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport for the Nevatim airbase on the very same day. When questioned about this specific flight, Vučić declined to comment.
