Russian Diplomat Involved in Spy Scandal Nominated to Head OSCE Mission
A Russian diplomat who was recalled from Brussels after being accused of spying is now nominated to head a top security post in Serbia. Dmitry Iordanidi, 55, was one of 20 Russian diplomats who left Belgium in 2023.
The Belgian State Security Service (VSSE) had accused them of being spies working undercover. Iordanidi was not declared persona non grata by the Belgians but was recalled by Russia instead. He is now nominated to head the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) mission to Serbia.
Iordanidi has experience in the Balkans, having worked as a deputy head of the OSCE mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina. However, his nomination has raised concerns given the recent accusations of “malign” Russian activities across the region.
The OSCE is a 57-nation regional security body based in Vienna. Its mission to Serbia would be Iordanidi’s first assignment as head since being recalled from Brussels.
Iordanidi is also nominated for other positions, including heading an OSCE program office in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The OSCE has said that the recruitment process for these positions is still ongoing.
The nomination of Iordanidi comes amid concerns about Russia’s influence on the OSCE. Western officials have accused Moscow of acting as a saboteur of the organization and abusing its consensual politics.
