Republican US Congressman Joe Wilson and Senator Roger Wicker have called on the European People's Party (EPP) to sever all ties with President Aleksandar Vučić's Serbian Progressive Party.
In a letter to EPP President Manfred Weber, the two American lawmakers demand that the SNS be stripped of its associate member status and that the EPP completely distance itself from the ruling party in Serbia.
Wilson and Wicker accuse the SNS of authoritarian practices, corruption, and manipulation of the electoral process, while stating that the party is not committed to democratic and Western values.
In their letter, the US lawmakers also refer to Serbia's 2023 parliamentary elections, which according to OSCE/ODIHR assessments were held in an environment where there was a significant advantage for the ruling party and problems that affected the electoral process.
According to Wilson and Wicker, the government in Serbia has used state resources and public media in its favor, while OSCE recommendations for improving the electoral process have not been sufficiently implemented.
The two lawmakers also express concern about the upcoming parliamentary elections, scheduled for October 25, 2026, claiming that the same practices could be repeated.
The document also mentions Serbia's relations with Russia and China, the media situation and allegations of corruption. Wilson and Wicker argue that the SNS should not use its affiliation with the EPP as a way to gain political legitimacy in the European arena.
At the end of the letter, the two American lawmakers ask Weber to have the EPP revoke the SNS's status and sever all relations with Vučić's party.
