During his tenure as minister, which lasted until the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, Vučić introduced restrictive measures against journalists and banned foreign TV networks.

[6][7][8] He was one of the crucial figures in cooperation and European Union (EU)-mediated dialogue between the governments of Kosovo and Serbia, advocating the implementation of the Brussels Agreement on the normalization of their relations.

Observers have described Vučić's rule as an authoritarian, autocratic or illiberal democratic regime, citing curtailed press freedom and a decline in civil liberties.

[29] Human Rights Watch reported that five independent newspaper editors were charged with disseminating misinformation because they referred to Albanians who had died in Kosovo as "people" rather than "terrorists".

The independent candidate, Saša Janković was second with 16.63 percent, ahead of satirical politician Luka Maksimović and former minister of foreign affairs Vuk Jeremić.

[55] According to Amnesty International's annual report for 2021, Vučić's mandate is characterized by human rights violations, restrictions on freedom of expression and campaigns of harassment against the opposition figures, journalists and media outlets.

[61] 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.

[69] 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.

[69][70] 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.

[71][72] 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.

[87][88] 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.

[90] 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.

[95] 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".

[105][106] 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.

"[107] 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.

[125][126] 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.

[142] Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reported harassment and physical assaults on journalists during the presidential inauguration ceremony, after Vučić won the elections.

[122][143] Within five years of President Aleksandar Vučić in effect governing the country, Serbia has become a place where practicing journalism is neither safe nor supported by the state.

[147] 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.

[149] The bestselling newspaper in Serbia is the pro-government tabloid Informer, which most often presents Vučić as a powerful person under constant attack, and also has anti-European content and pro-war rhetoric.

[15][150][151] 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.

[156] 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.

[157] 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.

[158][157] On 26 March 2020, Twitter announced that they had shut down a network of 8,500 spam accounts that worked in concert to write 43 million tweets praising president Vučić and his party, boosting Vučić-aligned content to increase its visibility and popularity, and attacking his political opponents.

[166] On 1 September 2020, Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović accused Vučić and Belgrade-based media of interfering in the internal politics of Montenegro, as well of alleged trying to revive a "Greater Serbia policy".

[173] Vučić also participated in protests against the arrests of war criminals convicted later, including Veselin Šljivančanin, Radovan Karadžić, and Vojislav Šešelj, who was president of his party.

[197] During July 2020 Vučić became a student at Belgrade's College of Sports and Health, with the goal to become a basketball trainer for juniors after he ends his political career.

[198][199] Some Serbian journalists have reported that a mandatory condition for entering the college was active participation in sports for three years, which was removed from the official website shortly after Vučić's enrollment.