More than one-third of Serbia’s population is struggling greatly or severely to make ends meet and living from one paycheck to the next, according to official data from the Statistical office of the Republic of Serbia (2025). As social inequalities continue to deepen, the political manipulation of people living in poverty is becoming increasingly visible in our society, A 11 Initiative warns on the occasion of August 9, World day of the poor.
Late summer in Serbia is reserved for announcements of various measures of unsustainable, short-term and irresponsible social policy, relying on one-off payments and the occasional promise. This year is no different, as decision-makers use such announcements to buy the trust of people living in poverty and keep them in a constant state of fear and vulnerability, ultimately contributing to the normalization of poverty.
While the median net wage in Serbia amounts to RSD 93,277 (May 2026), official data show that almost RSD 110,000 is needed to cover a household’s total monthly expenses – an amount that includes food and beverages, clothing, utilities and other costs, transportation and other aspects of everyday life (2025).
According to official data, one-third of households in our country cannot afford a short holiday away from home, while the same proportion cannot cover an unexpected household expense, pointing to an extremely low standard of living. Only 5.7 percent of households report having no problem covering housing costs, demonstrating that housing in Serbia is effectively unaffordable for the average person.
The situation is far worse for vulnerable groups. Several thousand people are experiencing homelessness on the streets of Belgrade alone, while the few who live in social housing cannot afford to maintain a decent life even under so-called preferential conditions.
Social policy measures are also insufficient and fail to serve their purpose. Around 150,000 people in Serbia receive financial social assistance, which, at just RSD 12,536 per individual, is in no way sufficient to help people escape poverty – quite the contrary.
Restrictions on access to social protection services actively exclude the most vulnerable from the system, as demonstrated by the consequences of implementing the Social card Law over the past four years. More than 61,000 of the poorest people have been deprived of social assistance solely as a result of the Social Card, while support for social workers continues to be weakened.
For all these reasons, we cannot say that Serbia is a country of social justice. In the absence of concrete strategic decisions and policies aimed at reducing poverty, it can be concluded that the current state policy is characterized by nothing less than the denial and exploitation of poverty.
We must work together, as a society, towards positive change. This requires time and energy, but it can result in a society in which everyone is cared for equally and no one is forgotten.
In Belgrade, August 9, 2026
