Serbia

by IBP Consultant | Sep 8, 2015

The Government of Serbia provides the public with limited budget information.

The Government of Serbia is weak in providing the public with opportunities to engage in the budget process.

Budget oversight by the legislature in Serbia is limited.

Budget oversight by the supreme audit institution in Serbia is adequate.

Serbia should prioritize the following actions to improve budget transparency:

Produce and publish a Citizens Budget, Pre-Budget Statement, and Mid-Year Review.
Increase the comprehensiveness of the Executive’s Budget Proposal by presenting more information on the classification of expenditures for future years and the classification of expenditures for prior years.
Increase the comprehensiveness of the Year-End Report by presenting more information on planned versus actual debt and interest and on planned versus actual macroeconomic forecasts.

Serbia should prioritize the following actions to improve budget participation:

Establish credible and effective mechanisms (i.e., public hearings, surveys, focus groups) for capturing a range of public perspectives on budget matters.
Hold legislative hearings on the budgets of specific ministries, departments, and agencies at which testimony from the public is heard.
Establish formal mechanisms for the public to assist the supreme audit institution to formulate its audit program and participate in audit investigations.

Serbia should prioritize the following actions to strengthen budget oversight:

Establish a specialized budget research office for the legislature.
In both law and practice, ensure the legislature is consulted prior to the spending of contingency funds that were not identified in the Enacted Budget.
Establish a system of quality control for the supreme audit institution.

Transparency – Serbia