Relationship dossier
Australia
Serbia
Relationship assessment
Practical bilateral ties coexist with disagreement over Kosovo and the 2022 Djokovic visa dispute.
Australia toward Serbia
+5Australia has engaged Serbia through a bilateral social security agreement. Australia’s recognition of Kosovo conflicts with Serbia’s position on Kosovo.
Serbia toward Australia
+5Serbia has engaged Australia through the bilateral social security agreement. In 2022, Serbia’s government criticized Australia’s cancellation of Novak Djokovic’s visa and his deportation.
Overall relationship
+5The relationship combines practical bilateral arrangements with a durable disagreement over Kosovo. The 2022 Djokovic visa dispute added a separate episode of public friction, though its lasting impact on official ties is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Australia and Serbia have maintained practical bilateral engagement, including a social security agreement, while Australia’s recognition of Kosovo conflicts with Serbia’s position on Kosovo. Relations also faced public friction in 2022 over Australia’s cancellation of Novak Djokovic’s visa and deportation. These features point to working ties alongside a significant political disagreement.
Areas of tension
- Australia’s recognition of Kosovo conflicts with Serbia’s position on Kosovo.
- Serbian government criticism of Australia’s cancellation of Novak Djokovic’s visa and deportation in 2022.
Key developments
Australia recognized Kosovo, a policy opposed by Serbia.
Australia and Serbia signed a bilateral social security agreement.
Australia cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa and deported him; Serbia’s government criticized the decision.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral cooperation beyond the social security agreement are unclear.
- The lasting effect of the 2022 Djokovic visa dispute on government relations is uncertain.