Country Fact Sheet

Government at a GlanceWestern Balkans 2020

Serbia had a fiscal surplus in 2018

The general government fiscal balance has improved from -1.8% of GDP in 2008 to 0.8% of GDP in 2018. While the regional average was at -0.3% of GDP, Serbia was one of the two countries that reported a fiscal surplus in the Western Balkan region. In particular, Serbia had the highest primary balance of 3.0% of GDP.

Chapter 2: Public finance and economics

2.1. General government fiscal balance as a percentage of GDP, 2008 and 2018

Serbia considers a wide range of fiscal risks and is one of the few countries in the region that measure them and disclose the results

Serbia is the country in the Western Balkan region that considers the largest set of fiscal risks, including external risks, risks associated to government activities as well as other public entities (e.g. state owned en-terprises). Furthermore, it is the country that most commonly measure and disclose these risks.

Chapter 5: Budgeting practices and procedures

5.3. Identification, measurement and disclosure of sources of fiscal risks, 2019

Constraints on government powers in Serbia have experienced a significant declinebetween 2015 and 2020

In 2020, Serbia had the score of 0.39 (with 1 being the highest) on constraints on government powers, which constitute one of the eight factors of the Rule of Law Index measured by World Justice Project. This was the lowest among the countries of the Western Balkan region, and significantly below the OECD-EU average of 0.76. Furthermore, this score on constraints on government powers for Serbia has dropped by 0.11 points between 2015 and 2020.

Chapter 9: Core government results

9.4. Constraints on government powers, 2015 and 2020

Serbia

Serbia

0.8%

0%-8% +2%-6% -4% -2%

-2.9%-0.3%

WesternBalkans OECD EU-28

-0.7%

Fiscal balance (2018)% of GDP

How to read the figures:

Serbia

Country value in green (not representedif not available)

Average of OECD countries

in blue

Range of Western Balkan countries values in grey

OECD

Public Finance and Economics

Sources: Data for the WB countries: IMF World Economic Outlook (database). Data for the OECD and the EU28 averages: OECD National Accounts Statistics (database)

Values have been rounded.

n.a. refers todata not available

Average of Western Balkan countries in

purple

WesternBalkans

Government investment (2017)Government gross debt (2018)% of GDP

54.5% 100%

0%Serbia

90%10% 110%30% 50% 70%

108.6%49.4%

WesternBalkans OECD

n.a.Serbia

20%0% 25%5% 10% 15%

7.9%11.9%

WesternBalkans OECD EU-28

6.2%

Sources: IMF Government Finance Statistics (database). Data for the OECD and the EU28 averages: OECD National Accounts Statistics (database)

Gender equality in public sector employment (2018)

51.4%Serbia

20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

60.2%40.9%WesternBalkans OECD OECD-EU 61.8%

Budgeting Practices

Formal powers of the legislature to amend executive budget proposal

(2019)

Source: OECD (2019) Survey for the Western Balkans on Budget Practices and Procedures

Macroeconomic

shocks

Considereda riskMeasured /estimated

Change indebt interest

ratesEnvironmentaldegradations

Disclosed

Public-Private

PartnershipsState-ownedenterprises *

WesternBalkans

OECD

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Serbia

Source: International Labour Organization ILOSTAT database

% of women

EU

Average of EU countries in

orange

% of total government expenditures

Unrestricted

Within totalde�cit/surplusproposed bythe Executive

33.3%

50%WesternBalkans

Mixed16.7%

Within total de�cit /surplus proposedby the ExecutiveSerbia

Source: OECD (2019) Survey for the Western Balkans on Budget Practices and Procedures

Sources: Data for the WB countries: IMF World Economic Outlook (database). Data for the OECD average: OECD National Accounts Statistics (database)

* While not directly related to general forecasting parameters there are narrower fiscal risks that arise from specific sources. For example, the possible need to provide fiscal support to state-owned enterprises.

Public Employment

Identification, measure and disclosure of sources of fiscal risks (2019)

Public sector employmentas % of total employment (2018)

Source: International Labour Organization ILOSTAT database

25.8%Serbia

10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

21.1%27.2%WesternBalkans OECD OECD-EU 23.7%

Strategic public procurement by objective(2019)

Source: IMF Government Finance Statistics database. * See Notes

NoYes, and

it is availableonline

50% 33%

18% 7%

26% 11%

Yes, but it isnot available

online

17%

75%

63%OECD-EU

OECD

Western Balkans

NoSerbia

Politicalappointee

Civilservant

67% 33%

52% 48%

52% 48%

Political appointee

OECD-EU

OECD

Western Balkans

Serbia

Status of the head of Centre of Government(2019)

Source: OECD (2019) Questionnaire for the Western Balkans on Organisation and Functions of the Centre of Government

Public Procurement

Human Resources Management

0.63 0.56 0.64 0.64Serbia

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

OECDWesternBalkans OECD-EU

Institutions Digital Government

Source: OECD Survey on Strategic Human Resources Management in Central/Federal Governments

Existence of a list with fully digital servicesprovided in the public sector (2019)

Source: OECD Survey on Public Procurement

Support togreen publicprocurement

Policy / strategy at the central level

Policy/strategy at the level of some speci�c procuring entities

Support to SMEs

Support toinnovative goods and

services

No policy / strategy

WesternBalkans

OECD

Policy/strategy both at the central level and at the level of some speci�c procuring entities

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Serbia

Composite index from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)

Functionalities provided by thee-procurement system (2019)

Source: OECD Survey on Public Procurement

Tenderannouncement

Provided on central e-procurement system

Only on that of speci�c procuring entity(ies)

E-submissionof bids

Noti�cationof award

No

E-invoicing

WesternBalkans

OECD

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Serbia

Separation between regular HRM practices and those for Senior Civil Servants (2019)

Composite index from 0 (lowest) to 1 (highest)

Source: OECD Survey on Strategic Human Resources Management in Central/Federal Governments

Level of delegation of HRM in line ministriesat the central government level (2019)

Source: OECD (2019) Survey for the Western Balkans on Digital Government

0.60 0.36 0.55 0.53Serbia

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

OECDWesternBalkans OECD-EU

Ease of doing business (2020)

Source: World Bank (2019) Doing Business database

Composite indicator from 0 (worst) to 100 (best)

Notes

Share of top and bottom performers in mathematics in the Programme for International Student Assessment [PISA] (2018)

For more information on the data (including full methodology and figure notes) and to consult all other Country Fact Sheets:http://www.oecd.org/gov/government-at-a-glance-western-balkans-a8c72f1b-en.htm

The public finance and economics data for Western Balkans countries, which are based on the IMF’s World Economic Outlook and the IMF’s Government Financial Statistics databases – harmonised with the System of National Accounts (SNA), were extracted on 19 February, 2020. For the OECD and the EU28 averages – also based on the SNA – data were extracted from the OECD Government at a Glance online database from the last available update: 4 January, 2020 (financial government accounts: 21 January, 2020). The SNA government debt definition differs from the definition of debt applied under the Maastricht Treaty and for this reason the EU average is not presented here. Western Balkans, OECD and EU28 averages for public finance and economics are weighted.

5% 2% 11% 11%Serbia

OECDWesternBalkans OECD-EU

100%

100%100%

100%

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40% 54% 24% 21%

0% 0%

Bottom performers are stu-dents who reached a score be-low 2 in the assessment, while top performers are those who reached a score of 5 and 6.

76 73 78 77Serbia

0

20

40

60

80

100

0

20

40

60

80

100

OECDWesternBalkans OECD-EU

Source: OECD, PISA 2018 Database

Outcomes

52%Judicial system

Education system

48%Health care

57%57%

33%35%

National government34%48%

Serbia Average

Range

Average

20

40

60

80

100

WesternBalkans

OECD

Source: Gallup World Poll

Satisfaction and confidence across public services (2019)

Government at a Glance: Western Balkans presents information on public governance in the Western Balkan region – covering Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, and compares it to OECD and OECD-EU countries. This first regional edition features 40 indicators on public finance, public employment, centre of government, budgeting practices and procedures, human resources management, public procurement, digital government, core government results and serving citizens. Governance indicators provide important benchmarks on public administration systems, practices and performance. Indicators are presented in a user-friendly format using charts, with brief descriptive analyses of the major findings, and a methodological section on the definition of the indicator and any limitations in data comparability.

* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244/99 and the Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on Kosovo’s declaration of independence.

Government at a Glance: Western Balkans 2020

The Excel spreadsheets used to create the tables and figures in Government at a Glance: Western Balkans 2020 are available via the StatLinks provided throughout the publication:https://doi.org/10.1787/a8c72f1b-en