A bipartisan bill on Serbia, which addresses support for the rule of law, independent functioning of institutions, and accountability, was sent to the US Senate for consideration on Friday. The bill was co-sponsored by two senators, Republican Chuck Grassley and Democrat Richard Blumenthal.
The Senate website states that the bill has been submitted for consideration, but the text itself has not yet been published. Before a bill can be passed by Congress, it must first pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
What preceded this proposal?
At the end of August, the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by congressmen, Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat Bill Keating.
"I am grateful to Senators Grassley and Blumenthal for introducing the 'Serbia' bill in the Senate. The Vucic regime is desperately fighting to stay in power. Elections in Serbia must be free and fair," Wilson wrote on the X network.
The proposal that Wilson and Keating submitted to Congress states that the United States should impose financial sanctions and a visa regime on harmful actors who contribute to the destabilization of the Western Balkans, as well as on persons who threaten the peace, security, stability, or territorial integrity of any area or state in the region.
It states that there are "serious democratic backslidings", which, as noted, were mentioned in the European Parliament's Report on Serbia for 2025. Specifically, it is proposed that the US suspend the strategic dialogue with Serbia if the issues of free and fair elections, as well as Belgrade's ties with Beijing and Moscow, are not addressed in these talks. If the US State Department does not do this, the proposal states, Congress, which is responsible for public funds, should not approve its operating budget.
What is strategic dialogue?
The strategic dialogue between Serbia and the United States resumed with the signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation in the fields of energy and infrastructure in July this year, a year and a half after the two countries signed the first strategic agreement. The United States has agreements of this type with many countries around the world, aimed at deepening cooperation in the economy, security issues and foreign policy. /REL
