Why the OSCE Shouldn’t Meet in Serbia

Excerpt Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is facing the greatest political challenge of his decade in power amid ongoing nationwide protests over corruption and democratic backsliding. Yet rather than pressing Belgrade for reform, Western countries have handed Vučić a token of legitimacy. Earlier this month, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA) accepted Serbia’s bid to host the organization’s 2027 annual session in Belgrade. Last week, a bipartisan coalition in Congress, led by Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), head of the US delegation to the OSCE PA, pushed back, asking that the meeting be held in Charleston, South Carolina, rather than Belgrade. They’re right to do so given the Vučić regime’s long track record of repressing civil liberties, destabilizing the Balkans, and cozying up to authoritarian enemies of the West. Belgrade’s push to host the OSCE session comes at a moment when Vučić most needs international validation. Student-led protests in Serbia have become the most significant challenge to President Vučić’s government. The demonstrations were sparked by the collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad train station that killed 16 people, with protesters accusing the government of corruption, while demanding accountability for the tragedy. Seeking to placate the protesters, Vučić has announced his plans to resign and hold early elections sometime in the coming months. But this is an old authoritarian playbook, perfected by Russian President Vladimir Putin: change the office, not the power. Whether as president, prime minister, or power behind the scenes, Vučić’s plans to remain Serbia’s undisputed ruler. Dr. Ivana Stradner serves as a research fellow with FDD’s Barish Center for Media Integrity. She studies Russia’s security strategies and military doctrines to understand how Russia uses information operations for strategic communication.