July 2025.
As part of the program Regional Initiative for combating disinformation “Western Balkans Combatting disinformation Center: Exposing malicious influences through fact-checking and Analytical Journalism“, we present you a new analysis of fake news and disinformation narratives.
ODIHR director thanks Brnabić for personally encouraging political dialogue in Serbia
The largest protests in Serbia’s modern political history have been ongoing for more than nine months, posing the greatest challenge yet to the thirteen-year rule of the Serbian Progressive Party. The political crisis in Serbia shows no signs of easing; instead, it deepens month by month, with an increasingly repressive response by the authorities to the protests and continuous regime pressures on citizens and students.
On the other hand, during the summer months, frequent meetings were organized between government representatives and international officials, in which the Serbian regime formally emphasized its commitment to political dialogue and further reforms. One such example was the meeting between National Assembly Speaker Ana Brnabić and Maria Telalian, Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), held on July 23.
Following the Brnabić–Telalian meeting, a statement was published on the official website of the National Assembly. Pro-regime media then widely broadcast it, highlighting above all that “ODIHR Director Telalian thanked Brnabić for her personal engagement in encouraging political dialogue.”
The statement further stressed that “Speaker Brnabić described the meeting as highly significant, especially in the context of the intensive work on implementing ODIHR recommendations… which contributes to improving the electoral process and strengthening democratic institutions.”
However, the following day the OSCE website published an official statement that differed substantially from the shorter, more “cosmetic” version carried by Serbian media. The ODIHR statement specifically called on the authorities to ensure freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, emphasizing the need to “promote a more constructive and inclusive political environment in which all voices are respected.”
The ODIHR Director also pointed to the increasingly evident instances of violence against peaceful demonstrators on the streets of Serbian cities, urging the authorities to “enable peaceful assemblies, even when they are spontaneous and unannounced… and to investigate reports of unjustified or excessive use of force by police.”
The statement further warned, regarding the announced electoral process reforms, that “public trust depends not only on technical improvements but also on institutional independence, political balance, and inclusive representation.” In this respect, the ODIHR Director’s more critical tone underscored that the Serbian authorities’ approach to the reform process thus far has been inadequate.
Leading civil society organizations share similar views. Many of them have withdrawn from cooperation with Serbian institutions on these legislative changes, pointing to the lack of political will for genuine reform and the regime’s “simulation” and insincerity in political dialogue, all while repressive measures intensify.
Author: Igor Mirosavljević
