Political situation in Serbia under scrutiny of the European Parliament

(Patria) - The European Parliament has initiated the procedure for adopting a resolution on Serbia titled "Waves of violence and the continuous use of force against demonstrators in Serbia", at the initiative of several political groups within that institution.

The topic of the resolution will be discussed at the first autumn session of the European Parliament, scheduled for September 8, according to the official EP website for legislative procedures, N1 reports.

The resolution is classified as RSP (Resolution on Current Affairs), meaning it pertains to urgent political, democratic, or security issues requiring the Parliament's response.

In this case, the subject matter concerns events during and after months-long protests in Serbia, particularly reports of excessive use of force against demonstrators, including students and minors.

The European Parliament is expected to adopt a political assessment of the situation, with a potential call to action or recommendations to European institutions and member states.

The draft text has not yet been published.

Context of months-long protests and previous EP reactions

Months-long protests in Serbia, which have repeatedly drawn reactions from domestic and international public opinion, have resulted in serious accusations of excessive use of force by security agencies.

Since the protests began, the European Parliament has discussed the situation in Serbia three times.

In December 2024, a plenary debate was held on the political crisis in Serbia, focusing on student protests and the authorities' reaction following the tragedy in Novi Sad, but without adopting a specific resolution.

In February, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on irregularities in the December elections, which sharply criticized the misuse of voter lists, phantom voters, pressure on the opposition, and unfair media conditions.

The resolution called for an independent international investigation and possible EU sanctions if further standards violations occurred.

In May, the EP adopted a resolution in response to the European Commission's annual reports for Serbia, which noted limited progress in the European integration process.

Particular emphasis was placed on problems in the rule of law, media freedom, and the independence of institutions.