Serwer: Serbian Regime’s Outbursts over Congressmen’s Letter only Proves the Guilt  

Daniel Server

American professor Daniel Serwer has said that outbursts of the Serbian regime over a letter written by seven congressmen seeking sanctions against Serbia have only proved the regime’s guilt.  

“If they were not corrupted and if freedom of the media existed, there would not be such a stormy reaction,” Serwer has told Voice of America (VoA). 

A group of American congressmen has recently sought from U.S. President Joseph Biden to consider imposing sanctions against those who have been destabilizing the Western Balkans and have accused Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic of deepening corruption and exerting pressure on media outlets.  

Serwer, a professor at the Johns Hopkins University and an expert for the Balkans, said that the letter was nothing else but an attempt to highlight the matters which the congressmen perceived as very important, among others, curbing corruption and freedom of the press in Serbia.  

The congressmen’s letter to Biden was made public during the week when Party of Freedom and Justice leader Dragan Djilas was visiting the U.S., where he met with U.S. official Gabriel Escobar. 

According to VoA, the letter has triggered harsh criticism and reactions of the Serbian authorities, who claim that Djilas has been undermining the state interests. Serwer said that such reactions implied that Serbia was not a consolidated democracy, because it was not able to tolerate fully legitimate activities of its citizens in meetings with foreign nationals. 

“It is not possible to get or lead congressmen to write a letter. Let’s be serious. Such a letter can be written based on a careful examination and research if not by congressmen themselves, then by their associates. The Serbian opposition politician (Djilas) can visit Washington and underline the importance of curbing corruption in Serbia. It is possible and normal,” Serwer said. He added that American diplomats were encouraged to meet with opposition representatives, non-governmental organizations and broad public members.