A bipartisan bill on Serbia has been introduced in the US Senate, sponsored by Republican Senator Chuck Grassley and Democrat Richard Blumenthal. The bill, registered as S.5611, aims to strengthen the rule of law, democratic institutions, and accountability mechanisms in relations between the United States and Serbia. The bill has been read twice in the Senate and has been referred to the Foreign Relations Committee.
According to the two senators' announcement, the initiative aims to address what they describe as democratic regression in Serbia, the handling of student and civic protests, as well as the influence of Russia, China and Iran in the country. The bill provides, among other things, for the use of existing sanctions mechanisms against individuals involved in corruption, serious human rights violations or actions that undermine democratic institutions or threaten peace and stability in the Western Balkans.
Another element of the initiative relates to US aid to Serbia. According to the description released by the senators, additional US assistance would be linked to a presidential certification that Serbia has made significant and sustained progress in areas such as judicial accountability, media freedom, and alignment with the European Union and NATO.
The bill also calls for examining Russian and Chinese influence in Serbia, through a report to Congress on Belgrade's political, economic, energy, and security ties with Moscow and Beijing. At the same time, it calls for a more detailed strategy for American engagement with Serbia.
The initiative introduced in the Senate follows a similar bill submitted in the House of Representatives by Republican Joe Wilson and Democrat William Keating. In their announcement, the US lawmakers argued that the measures aim to strengthen democratic institutions and establish accountability mechanisms in US-Serbia relations.
Wilson also reacted on the X network, thanking Senators Grassley and Blumenthal for introducing the bill in the Senate and stating that elections in Serbia should be free and fair.
The draft law comes at a sensitive moment for Serbia, as the country is expected to hold early parliamentary elections on October 25, 2026. According to the senators' announcement, issues related to democracy, civil protests, and Serbia's relations with Russia and China are among the main topics addressed by the initiative.
The bill is still in the Congressional review phase and is not yet a law. To become federal law, such an initiative must be approved by the Senate and the House of Representatives and then sent to the president for signature.
