Economy Olaf Scholz,
Belgrade, on 19 July 2024. After his election as prime minister in 2014, Vučić promoted austerity-based economic policies, whose aim was to reduce Serbia's budget deficit. Vučić's policy of fiscal consolidation was primarily aimed at cuts in the public sector. One of the measures was the reduction of pensions and salaries in the public sector as well as a ban on further employment in the public sector. On 23 February 2015, Vučić's government has concluded a three-year stand-by arrangement with the
IMF worth €1.2 billion as a precautionary measure to secure the country's long term fiscal stability. The IMF has praised the reforms as has the EU calling them one of the most successful programmes the IMF has ever had. The GDP of Serbia has surpassed the pre crisis of 2008 levels as have the salaries. The economic prospects are good with GDP growth rising above 3% and the debt to GDP ratio falling below 68% He also vowed to investigate controversial
privatizations and ties between
tycoons and former government members. , on 21 December 2022 On the other hand, data from the
Transparency International showed that a significant increase in perceived corruption was seen exactly from 2012, when Vučić came into power. According to research conducted by the
Centre for Investigative Journalism, the battle against corruption in practice comes down to media announcements and arrests in front of cameras. "They are followed by a large number of criminal charges, significantly fewer indictments, and even fewer convictions". In May 2023, the
New York Times published an article by journalist Robert F. Worth which described alleged ties between Vučić and organized crime in Serbia, particularly its leader Veljko Belivuk. It detailed crimes committed by the Belivuk criminal gang and court transcripts in which Belivuk stated he had met Vučić, worked directly under him and provided services such as intimidating political rivals. Vučić called the allegations "lies", saying that the article was ordered by the
CIA months prior to send him a message and that it was written in Belgrade, accusations which Worth rejected.
EU and Immigration policy , 17 February 2024 During the 2015 – 2016
European migrant crisis, Vučić strongly aligned himself with the policies of the German Chancellor,
Angela Merkel, and publicly praised German migration policy. Vučić also stated that Serbia will cooperate with the EU in solving the migrant stream going from the Middle East to EU member countries through the Balkan route, and that Serbia will be ready to take some portion of the migrants. "Serbia will receive a certain number of migrants. This makes us more European than some member states. We don't build fences," Vučić wrote on Twitter, while criticizing the migrant policies of some EU member countries.
EU and lithium During 2021, a
series of mass protests erupted in Serbia against the construction of a
lithium mine in Western Serbia by the
Rio Tinto corporation. In January 2022, the Serbian government revoked licences for the
Jadar project. In January 2024, Vučić stated that the government wants to hold further talks with Rio Tinto and that there should be more public discussion over whether the project should go ahead. If completed, the project could supply 90% of Europe's current lithium needs and help to make Rio Tinto a leading lithium producer. On 19 July 2024, following EU pressure, Vučić, German Chancellor
Olaf Scholz, and European Union energy chief
Maroš Šefčovič met and signed an agreement regarding the European Union's access to "critical raw materials" mined in Serbia, representing a further step towards facilitating the Jadar mining project. The project resulted in
renewed environmental protests in 2024. One week later, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy
Dubravka Đedović signed a memorandum with Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President and "overseer" of the
European Green Deal, agreeing on the basis of critical raw materials, battery value chains, and
electric vehicles related to the mining project."
Policy towards Kosovo Until the new coalition government was formed in 2012, during the time he served as the secretary general of the
Serbian Radical Party, the largest opposition party at the time, as well as during his position of the vice president of then newly formed Serbian Progressive Party, in 2008, Vučić was highly critical towards
Koštunica and
Cvetković's administrations, and offered a "reversal" of the agreements made by
Borko Stefanović and the other officials during the negotiation process. Upon forming the government, Vucic stated that his government "cannot pretend that that [the former administration] was some different state which made the deals". Vučić was one of the key political figures in the negotiation process on Serbia's bid for EU accession, traveling to
Brussels for talks with the EU's Foreign Affairs High Commissioner,
Baroness Ashton, as well as to
North Mitrovica to discuss the details of a political settlement between on behalf of the Government of Serbia and Kosovo administration. During his visit to
North Kosovo, to garner support for the Brussels-brokered deal, he urged Kosovo Serbs to "leave the past and think about the future". In September 2018 in a speech to Kosovo Serbs he stated: "
Slobodan Milošević was a great Serbian leader, he had the best intentions, but our results were far worse." Journalists report that Vučić advocates the
partition of Kosovo, in what he refers to as "ethnic demarcation with Albanians". On 27 May 2019, during a special session of the Serbian parliament on Kosovo, Vučić said: "We need to recognize that we have been defeated... We lost the territory." He stated that Serbia no longer controlled Kosovo and that a compromise was needed on the issue through a future referendum in the country. Vučić has close links to the
Serb List and he invited Kosovo Serbs to vote for them in the elections. On 20 January 2020, Serbia and Kosovo agreed to restore flights between their capitals for the first time in more than two decades. The deal came after months of diplomatic talks by
Richard Grenell, the
United States ambassador to Germany, who was named special envoy for
Serbia-Kosovo relations by President
Donald Trump the year before. On 4 September 2020 Serbia and Kosovo signed an
agreement at the
White House in Washington D.C., in the presence of US president
Donald Trump. In addition to the economic agreement, Serbia agreed to move its Israeli embassy to
Jerusalem from
Tel Aviv starting in June 2021 and Israel and Kosovo agreed to mutually
recognise each other.
Open Balkan Summit On 10 October 2019, together with
Edi Rama,
Prime Minister of Albania, and
Zoran Zaev,
Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Vučić signed the so-called
Mini Schengen (now known as Open Balkan) deal on regional economic cooperation, including on the
free movement of goods, capital, services, and labor between their three countries, while they await progress on EU enlargement. A month later, the leaders presented a set of proposals to achieve the "
four freedoms" and the first steps towards them, including the possibility to the
open border area. In December, the three leaders also met with
Milo Đukanović,
President of Montenegro, opening the possibility for the country to join the zone. Following the 2020 Kosovo and Serbia economic agreement the two sides pledged to join the Mini Schengen Zone.
Relations with Croatia In 2007 Vučić stated that the
Democratic League of Croats in Vojvodina is a branch of the
Croatian Democratic Union. In 2008, with the establishment of the
Serbian Progressive Party, Vučić said that the goal of a
Greater Serbia taking Croatian territory up to the proposed
Virovitica-Karlovac-Karlobag line "is unrealistic and silly". The Croatian newspaper
Jutarnji list claimed in a reportage that none of his family members had been killed during World War II, upon which he replied that these were "brutal lies and attacks on his family". due to the migrant influx coming from Serbia in a move which further eroded the fragile relations between the two countries. In response to these actions, Vučić announced that counter measures will be enacted if an agreement with Croatia is not reached. The dispute was eventually resolved through the mediation of the
EU Commission, yet the relations between the two neighboring countries remain fragile. On 31 March 2016, Vojislav Seselj, leader of the Serbian Radical Party, was acquitted of War Crime charges in the Hague Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. The verdict has caused controversy in Croatia. Vučić distanced himself from Šešelj and his policy, but stated that the verdict should not be used as a tool for political pressure on Serbia. On 7 April 2016, Croatia refused to endorse the EU Commission opinion to open Chapter 23, a part of Serbia's EU accession negotiations, thus effectively blocking Serbia' EU integration process. Serbia accused Croatia of obstructing its EU membership, and Vučić said that his government was: ''"Stunned by Croatia's decision not to support Serbia's European path."'' Croatia has not agreed for Serbia to open negotiations of Chapter 23. On 14 April 2016, the EU Commission rejected Croatian arguments in its dispute with Serbia. On 23 May 2023 Vučić accused Croatia of attempting to topple the government in Serbia.
Relations with Russia , Belgrade Vučić has maintained traditional good relations between Serbia and Russia, and his government refused to enact sanctions on Russia, following the start of the
Russo-Ukrainian war. Vučić has repeatedly announced that Serbia will remain committed to its European integration, but also maintain historic relations with Russia. "We have proven our sincere and friendly attitude to Russia by being one of the European countries that refused to impose sanctions on Russia," Vučić said after meeting with Russian prime minister
Dmitry Medvedev. "Serbia will continue pursuing this policy in the future." During Vučić's mandate, Serbia has continued to expand its economic ties with Russia, especially by increasing Serbian exports to Russia. In early 2016, after a meeting with the Russian deputy prime minister
Dmitry Rogozin, Vučić announced the possibility of Serbia boosting its military cooperation with Russia by purchasing Russian missile systems. In December 2017, Vučić made an official visit to the Russian Federation for the first time as the president of Serbia. He expressed his gratefulness to Russia for protecting Serbian national interests, and stated that: "Serbia will never impose sanctions on the Russian Federation (in relation to the
international sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War)". On 24 February 2024, Croatian foreign minister
Gordan Grlić-Radman described Vučić as a Russian "satellite" in the Balkans during an interview on
N1, adding that Vucic must decide whether to side with Russia or the European Union "because it is impossible and uncomfortable sitting on two chairs at the same time." Vučić denied the allegation, saying that Grlić-Radman "brutally interferes in the internal affairs of Serbia, but as usual he lies and insults the Serbian people and threatens its citizens." The
Serbian foreign ministry issued a note of protest saying that it expected Croatian officials to "refrain from statements that represent interference in the internal affairs of Serbia and will lead a policy of reconciliation and good-neighborly relations between the two states." , on 2 September 2025 On 24 February 2025, Vučić took responsibility and apologised after Serbia voted in favour of a
United Nations General Assembly resolution calling Russia an aggressor state over its invasion of Ukraine. Vučić attributed Serbia's vote to his being "tired" and having "too many things (to deal with)", adding that Serbia was originally slated to abstain. On 11 June 2025, Vučić made his first visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion to attend a summit in
Odesa hosted by Ukrainian president
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. During the visit, Vučić said he supported Ukraine's territorial integrity.
Relations with Israel during the
2018 Moscow Victory Day Parade Following the
October 7 attacks, Vučić condemned the "horrific attacks", adding that "the Jewish people have endured a history of suffering and Israel deserves to live in peace and security". Media reports have suggested Serbia is a major
supplier of weapons and ammunition to Israel during the
Gaza war, with at least two major shipments sent during the conflict. Serbia's state-owned arms manufacturer,
Yugoimport SDPR, exported €42.3 million worth of arms and ammunition to Israel during 2024, mostly
155 mm artillery shells. In September 2024, Israeli President
Isaac Herzog visited Sebia, meeting with Vučić in Belgrade. In June 2025, due to the
Twelve-Day War, Vučić announced halt on exporting arms to Israel. This came after Iran warned that providing weapons to Israel would be considered an "act of aggression" against Iran. In April 2026,
BIRN revealed that Serbia was planning to open a drone factory in cooperation with Israeli company
Elbit Systems, a company which was criticised for taking part in the Gaza genocide. Vučić announced the opening of the factory in March, without mentioning the name of the company.
Relations with the United States ,
New York City,
New York, 23 September 2025 In July 2017 Vučić visited the United States and met with U.S. vice president
Mike Pence, where they discussed U.S. support for Serbia's efforts to join the European Union, the need for continued reforms, and further progress in normalizing the relationship with Kosovo. Referencing the proposed
land swap arrangement between Serbia and Kosovo, U.S. national security advisor
John Bolton has said that the United States would not oppose a territorial exchange between Kosovo and Serbia to resolve their long-running dispute. The U.S. State Department continues to maintain that the full normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is "essential for regional stability", which Vučić has said before.
Relations with China Vučić has sought closer cooperation with China. He has met with Chinese president
Xi Jinping in 2016, 2018, and 2019. After meeting with Chinese
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, he secured Chinese help in combating the
COVID-19 pandemic in Serbia through delivery of
PPE and
CoronaVac vaccine doses, which has contributed to Serbia leading COVID-19 vaccination rates in Europe. In October 2023, he signed a free-trade deal with China. During an interview with
China Global Television Network in February 2024, Vucic said, "Taiwan is China — and it's up to you what, when and how you're going to do it — full stop".
Media In 2014,
Dunja Mijatović,
OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, wrote Vučić and made attention with the suppression of the media, which he denied and demanded an apology from OSCE. According to the 2015
Freedom House report and the 2017
Amnesty International report, media outlets and journalists have been pressured after criticizing the government of Vučić. Serbian media are also heavily dependent on advertising contracts and government subsidies which make journalists and media outlets exposed to economic pressures, such as payment defaults, termination of contracts and the like. In first report after Vučić took the office,
European Commission expressed concerns about deteriorating conditions for the full exercise of freedom of expression. Report said there was a growing trend of self-censorship which combined with undue influence on editorial policies. In July 2016, the ruling party organized an exhibition of government-critical press articles and social media posts, labeled as 'lies', saying that they wanted to document wrongful attacks and to prove there is no official censorship. In 2017, Freedom House reported that Serbia posted one of the largest single-year declines in press freedom among all the countries and territories. Also, they emphasized that Vučić had sought to squeeze critical media out of the market and discredit the few journalists with the funds and fortitude to keep working. Some commentators have described that Vučić built a
cult of personality, with the significant role of mass media. Congress in Helsinki (2018) Observers described that during the campaign for the
2017 presidential election, Vučić had ten times more airtime on national broadcasters than all other candidates combined and mainstream media under Vučić's control have been demonizing most of the opposition presidential candidates, without giving them the opportunity to respond. Organizations that observed the elections emphasized that the presence of Vučić in newspaper and the electronic media during the presidential campaign was disproportionate, adding that media have lost their critical role and that they have become a means of political propaganda. The OSCE Report explains that general reluctance of media to report critically on or to challenge the governing authorities, significantly reduced the amount of impartial information available to voters. They also mentioned that the government used public resources to support Vučić. In 2018,
International Research & Exchanges Board described the situation in the media in Serbia as the worst in recent history, and that
Media Sustainability Index dropped because the most polarized media in almost 20 years, an increase in
fake news and editorial pressure on media. They also pointed out that the judiciary responds promptly only in cases in which the media allegedly violates the rights of authorities and ruling parties. According to Serbian investigative journalism portal
Crime and Corruption Reporting Network, more than 700 fake news were published on the front pages of pro-government tabloids during 2018. Many of them were about alleged attacks on Vućić and attempts of
coups, as well as messages of support to him by
Vladimir Putin. After Vučić was hospitalized for
cardiovascular problems in November 2019, his associates and pro-regime media accused the journalists of worsening the president's health by asking questions about alleged corruption by government ministers. The
Council of Europe warned that the investigative outlet was target of
smear campaign from the state after they caught Vučić's son with members of crime groups, while the
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project reported that Vučić "pledges to fight the lies". In early November 2021, seven
US Congressman have accused Vučić of deepening corruption and putting pressure on the media.
Internet surveillance Since Vučić's party came to power, Serbia has seen a surge of
internet trolls and pages on social networks praising the government and attacking its critics, free media and the opposition in general. That includes a handful of dedicated employees running fake accounts, but also the Facebook page associated with a Serbian franchise of the far-right
Breitbart News website. ==Criticism and controversies==