US Congressman Joe Wilson says Serbia should stop purchasing Russian energy and distance itself from Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran if it wants to fully integrate into Western institutions.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Balkan Service on July 28, Wilson said negotiations over reducing Serbia's dependence on Russian oil were "not enough," arguing that Belgrade could act unilaterally.
Wilson has sponsored a congressional resolution calling for the 2027 Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Charleston, South Carolina, rather than Belgrade. He said his main objective was to bring the meeting to the United States, but cited Russian, Chinese and Iranian influence in Serbia as additional reasons for opposing Belgrade as the host.
RFE/RL: What is the strongest reason Belgrade should not host the 2027 OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting?
Joe Wilson: A concern I would have about having it in Belgrade, Serbia, is that it's -- to me, the term I use is -- undue influence by war criminal [Russian President Vladimir] Putin in the country of Serbia, which I say sadly. I'm not delighted, but, indeed, Serbia still buys oil and gas from war criminal Putin. The national oil company, sadly, there, NIS, has been bought by war criminal Putin.
Additionally, there is undue influence by the Chinese Communist Party in terms of communications and other investments, and to make it even more obnoxious, an association with the dictatorship in Tehran.
Serbia has indicated for years an association with the dictatorship of [the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei] and understanding that, indeed, the enemies of freedom in the world -- Serbia is particularly a country that should be so great and should be part of the EU, should be actually part of NATO.
I have just returned from Slovenia. How exciting it is to see former Yugoslav republics do so well. I'm so grateful. I know the success of Croatia, and then I'm really hoping for Montenegro and also for Northern Macedonia. And Kosovo, I've been to Pristina, and their independence is very important. Sadly, the threats from Serbia just truly, in the 21st century, should not occur.
And a way to do that is a breaking of the relationship and influence by war criminal Putin in Serbia, to break the influence of the Chinese Communist Party, which is so insidious, and to stop any association with the dictatorship in Tehran, which has every intent of death to America.
RFE/RL: Do you have enough support in Congress or in Trump's administration to reverse the decision on Belgrade and the OSCE summit?
Wilson: My view is that, indeed, what I'm doing is, first, in favor of America hosting the 2027 Parliamentary Assembly. That is 98 percent of my interest.
At the same time, I am concerned about the undue influence of war criminal Putin in Serbia. Belgrade should be a part of modern Western civilization, as we see, as I did see in Ljubljana.
RFE/RL: Are you calling not only for the OSCE meeting to be moved from Belgrade but also for the US to reconsider its wider political, military, or economic relationship with Serbia?
Wilson: Serbia, we know what a historic country that is and how positive it can be and should be.
Even during the Cold War, there was a level of independence there from Moscow. That independence should be reinforced, not allowed to continue, so that, however it can occur, it can be achieved. There should be a full association with the European Union, with NATO.
It's time to break the relationships with the dictatorships of Beijing or Moscow or Tehran. The world is changing. We see it. Dictators are on the run. Assad has moved from Syria to Moscow. Maduro's in jail in New York. [Khamenei] is dead. He's with the 40,000 people he murdered earlier this year.
And so, the dictators are on the run. It's now time for Serbia to be part of Western civilization, because Western civilization will prevail.
RFE/RL: Belgrade is in the process of negotiating with Russia on stopping the import of Russian oil to Serbia and also Belgrade being in communication with Washington regarding that issue. Do you think it's a good sign? Is it enough?
Wilson: No, negotiations are not enough. They can act unilaterally. They don't need to get permission from [US President] Donald Trump.
Indeed, Hungary is making every step to stop the purchase of oil and gas. Thank God. We know that the country of Bulgaria is actually removing the influence of Russian oil companies there, Lukoil.
Countries are showing their disdain for the mass murder being conducted by war criminal Putin. And the way to [do] this is to not finance war criminal Putin.
This extends to not just Serbia, but India. I'm really grateful that President Trump is working with the country of India to shift purchases from Russia.
This is a worldwide effort, and Serbia should not have to negotiate. Serbia should be just doing it because it's the right thing to do to promote freedom and democracy in the world.
RFE/RL: Do you believe that this resolution proposed by your colleagues could be a reason for a different approach by the State Department toward Serbia? What if the resolution is not successful?
Wilson: I'm raising, again, how significant it would be for the Parliamentary Assembly to be in the United States.
It would also be a tribute to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who was such a champion for the people of Ukraine, such a champion for the people of Israel, and so, over and over again -- and, and such a champion for the people of Taiwan, for their independence.
What we need to do is -- indeed, I will keep trying to -- promote the United States as the proper location for the Parliamentary Assembly OSCE of 2027.
Hopefully any country that would be a host would be a country that would be reducing any influence by war criminal Putin, reducing any influence by the Chinese Communist Party, and reducing any influence by the mullahs in Tehran, who planned on death to America.
RFE/RL: The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly told RFE/RL that the US delegation informed them in July that Charleston could no longer host the 2027 session and Belgrade was then selected according to its established procedures. What has changed since that decision?
Wilson: The good news is that there was concern about catering capability in Charleston. We were able to address that. Then it was raised, legitimately, that there should be staffing issues. I was really grateful to find out in The Hague that the staffing is by unpaid volunteers.
In Charleston, there are many, many volunteers who would love to participate. Many are students at the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. And there are a number of international students there who would volunteer. Adjacent to the convention center is the College of Charleston, with 11,000 students.
Then I was told that we have an issue of trying to provide interpreters. But, of course, Charleston is an international city, and interpreters could be easily secured.
Then I found out that, actually, the OSCE provides the interpreters. So every issue, legitimately, that's been raised can be addressed, and indeed, the United States is the proper location for the Parliamentary Assembly 2027.
RFE/RL: Belgrade's international position is defined by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's "balancing policy." So, if the answer regarding the OSCE meeting next year for Belgrade is actually a 'no', what would Belgrade's reaction seeing that in the Balkans everything is linked, and everything can cause some damage to regional relations?
Wilson: I would look at this as addressing issues within the United States that have been addressed, and then, indeed, Belgrade could be 2028.
But the bottom line is that the United States is fully prepared to host. I give so much credit to Trump. He has really unified Europe to oppose war criminal Putin, to support Ukraine.
And I'm really grateful for, one day, there being fair and free elections in the Republic of Georgia, because we know that the president, working with Putin, rigged the elections in Tbilisi.
It's not unique that working with Putin is trying to undo influence. We know there was undue influence in Moldova, but, thank goodness, the people of Moldova stood up; undue influence in Romania, and so, again, the people of Romania acted to preserve their independence.
It's up to the people of Serbia to determine their own government, fair and free. I want them to be on the winning side of history, which is freedom and democracy, not totalitarianism, as evidenced by war criminal Putin or the Chinese Communist Party.
