Migration Profile perspective

EXTENDED VERSION

Serbia

In the framework of MMWD – Making Migration Work for Development, the WP7 activities foresee the launch of a Transnational Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation as an effort to support to address the consequence of Demographic trends on SEE . In particular, this platform will involve policy makers and decision makers at the national and sub-national level to promote the adoption of more effective services and regulations of the migration flows across the SEE area. In order to support and stimulate the dialogue within the Platform ad hoc migration profiles (MPs) will be developed for each partner country and will integrate the information and knowledge already provided by Demographic projections and Policy scenarios. The current MP focuses on the case of and it’s centred around five topics: resident foreign population by gender, age cohorts and citizenship; population flows (internal migration, emigration, immigration); immigrants presence in the national labour market; foreign population by level of educational attainment; remittances/transfers of money to country of origin. These topics have been selected among the MMWD panel of indicators relevant to describe demographic 1. Resident foreign population by and migration trends as well as to map their socio- gender, age cohorts and citizenship economic implications. Given that national legislation does not define the Background Information on Serbia categories of “immigrant” and “immigration”, the existing monitoring system does not allow this category to be Capital: easily recorded. For the purposes of the Migration Profile immigrants are identified as persons residing in Official language: Serbian the of Serbia for more than 12 months based on granted temporary and permanent residence. Data 2 Area: 88,361 Km obtained from the Ministry of Interior show that in 2010, a total of 21,577 such persons were recorded in the Population (2011): 7,186,862 Republic of Serbia and that their number had slightly increased compared to the previous year. Persons with 2 Population density (2011): 92.6 inhabitants/ Km permanent residence permits account for 30% of the immigrant category, whilst the persons temporarily Natural change in population (2012): -4.9‰ residing over a year’s period account for the remaining 70%. Taken by , the majority of this population Foreign citizens on total population (2012): 10.7% comes from the EU area, followed by the East Asia and in a lesser extent from the European outside Employment rate (2012): 45.3% EU and former Yugoslav , which are not EU members. with 5,988,150 are the largest ethnic Unemployment rate (2012): 22.4% group in Serbia, representing 83.3% of the total population (excluding ). With a population of Religions (2011): Orthodox 84.6%, Catholic 5.0%, 253,899, are the largest ethnic minority in Muslim 3.1%, Other 7.3%. Serbia, concentrated predominately in northern and representing 3.5% of the country's population (13% in Vojvodina). Roma population stands at 147,604 according to the 2011 census but unofficial estimates place their actual number between 400,000

and 500,000. with 145,278 are the third largest ethnic minority mainly inhabiting the Raška in the south-western part of the country. Other minority groups include , , , , , Vlachs, . The Chinese, estimated at about 15,000, are the only significant immigrant minority. Minors accounted for 5.8% of immigrants in the Republic of Serbia in 2010. Data on socio-demographic characteristics of immigrants suggest significant differences between Chinese citizens and those from European countries. Namely, while immigrants from China show the characteristics of labour immigration, with a minor share of women according to a number of indicators, other groups of immigrants, especially those from , Russian and Ukraine suggest a predominant The largest immigration population in the Republic of Serbia in 2009 and share of women and predominantly 2010 by citizenship family reasons for migrating into the Republic of Serbia. The category of foreigners staying in the Republic of China Serbia on grounds of work and Romania education is male dominated, whilst the category staying in the Republic Macedonia 2010 of Serbia on grounds of family 2009 reunification is female-dominated. In Russian Federation 2010 there were 520 expressed Ukraine intentions to seek asylum in the Republic of Serbia. Among the 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 persons who expressed their intention to seek asylum most were Source: Ministry of Interior the citizens of Afghanistan.

Immigrants in the Republic of Serbia in 2009 and 2010, by citizenship:

Country Perspective Serbia

2. Population flows movement into and accounted for 70.6% of the total number of new settlers, whereas 29.4% settled 2.1. Internal migration in . In , 72.1% of the total number of Internal migration in the second half of the twentieth settlers moved to towns and 27.9% moved to rural century led to a new population distribution in the area. settlements. In AP Vojvodina 64.4% moved to towns and In this period of rapid modernisation and socio- 35.6% moved to rural settlements. As for the persons economic development, prevailing migration was rural- who moved out in 2010 from places in which they had urban migration, as well as relocation between urban lived, the total number at the level of the Republic of settlements (often from small and medium-sized towns Serbia of persons who left urban and rural settlements to Belgrade or other regional centres), and relocation to was 63.7% and 36.3% respectively. The largest number settlements with faster economic development (tourist, of migrants belonged to the 25-34 age cohort (74,900), industrial and transportation centres, etc). On the one which accounted for 28.9% of the total population hand, migrations led to a significant concentration of the movement. 38,896 migrants were in the 0-14 age cohort, Serbian population in a relatively small area (urban accounting for 15.0% of total population migrations. In the agglomerations, industrial centres, urban settlements, 15-64 age cohort, the number of migrants was 205,965, municipal centres, tourist centres, etc), while on the accounting for 79.6% of the total population migrations. In other hand, migrations led to settlement disintegration in the 65+ age cohort, there were 14,003 migrants, a wide, predominantly rural and agrarian area (R. accounting for 5.4% of total migrations. There were Stevanović, 1995). The share of urban population in the 210,148 internally displaced persons from AP Kosovo total population has significantly increased in 2002, and Metohija. According to ethnicity, the majority of these ranging from 18.3% to 56.3%. According to the 2002 persons were Serbs, followed by Roma and census, the towns of Central Serbia had more migrant Montenegrins. inhabitants (51.6%) and towns in AP Vojvodina had more indigenous inhabitants (51.1%). The larger share The largest immigration population in the Republic of migrant population in the total urban population of of Serbia in 2009 and 2010, by citizenship and Central Serbia compared to AP Vojvodina is the result of gender: Belgrade’s influence as a particularly strong centre of migrant concentration in the second half of the twentieth century, and also of most other regional urban centres. The analysis of data on gender structure of the migrant population based on population censuses in the period from 1953 to 2002 shows that the share of migrant population in the total population of the Republic of Serbia has increased in both genders. All censuses indicated a significantly higher percentage of female migrant population, but this tendency is declining (the share of female population in the total migrant population has declined from 64.1% to 60.1% according to censuses from 1953 to 2002). This greater mobility of women is often explained by the fact that women, due to marriage and also socio-professional and other reasons change their place of residence in somewhat higher percentage than men (R. Stevanović, 2006). According to population estimates made by SORS, the total population of Serbia decreased by 3% in the period from 2000 to 2010. However, while the urban population decreased by 1.8%, the rural population decreased by 9.1%. It is also noticeable that in the period of observation the female rural population decreased more than the male rural population (by 9.8% and 8.4%, respectively). In 2010, at the level of the Republic of Serbia, the number of internal migrants was 258,664:

page 3 Country Perspective Serbia

Visas issued in 2010 by citizenship of the visa applicant:

2.2. Immigration The 2002 census recorded a little over 762,000 immigrants from former republics of SFRY (B&H, , and Macedonia), accounting for 22.2% of the total migrant population in the Republic of Serbia. More immigrants from former republics of SFRY were registered in central Serbia (about 398 thousand) than in AP Vojvodina (about 364 thousand), but their relative share in the total number of immigrants is more than twice as high in AP Vojvodina (38.2%) than in central Serbia (16.1%). Similar to results obtained in previous population censuses, the most recent census showed a relatively small share of immigrants from abroad in the structure of the migrant population of the Republic of Serbia. Immigrants from other countries accounted for only 0.9% of the total migrant population of the Republic of Serbia in 2002. The dissolution of the former SFRY and military conflicts on its resulted in large scale forced migrations in the Republic of Serbia. During the last decade of the 20th century more than half a million refugees from former Yugoslav republics moved to the Republic of Serbia and more than 210,000 displaced persons forcibly migrated from AP Kosovo and Metohija. In the period from 1991 to 2001, an average number of 78,800 persons every year changed their place of residence. The Ministry of Interior in 2010 issued temporary residence permits (longer than 90 days) to 6,325 foreigners for the first time, mainly for work (39.9%) and family reunification (46.7%).

page 4 Country Perspective Serbia

steady increase since 2006 (1,699 issued permits at that 2.3. Emigration period). According to incomplete data obtained by the Monitoring emigration is a particularly complex issue. National Employment Service, work permits were mostly National records do not provide comprehensive or issued to skilled professionals working in foreign accurate insight into the size and characteristics of the representative offices, banks, construction, trade, etc. emigrant population, and the statistics of foreign states Most of work permits to foreigners were issued in to which emigrants from the Republic of Serbia Belgrade (70%), followed by , and traditionally gravitate are often not available or Čačak. If analysed by gender, most of work permits to accurate. The socio-economic and political situation in foreigners were issued to men (76.3%), and if analysed the Republic of Serbia during the last decade of the by age, the largest share was among the persons aged twentieth century induced the rapidly increasing trend 31-40, followed by persons under the age of 30 (26.6%), in the number of “temporary migrants”. The 2002 persons aged 41-50 (23.3%), while the rest were census recorded a total of 414,839 persons working persons older than 50. If analysed by citizenship, and living abroad, representing (5.3%) of the total Chinese citizens were most represented, followed by population of the Republic of Serbia at that moment (in citizens of Macedonia, B&H and the Russian the country and abroad). The number of citizens of the Federation. Increased issuance of work permits has Republic of Serbia working and living abroad been recorded in construction, catering, etc. While the increased by 54.2% compared to 1991 and by 103.4% majority of foreigners who reside in the Republic of compared to 1971. The data obtained in the 2002 Serbia on the basis of work are men, the majority of census show that out of the total number of people foreigners recorded in the Register of unemployed from central Serbia working and living abroad, most persons are women. Namely, at the end of 2010, some are situated in FR Germany (79,199 or nearly one in 731 foreigners were recorded by the National four – 23.0%), followed by (75,922 persons or Employment Service, of which 84.4% women, mostly 22.1%). These two countries which host almost half from Romania, Macedonia and the Russian Federation, (45.1%) of all persons working and living abroad are mostly women who married Serbian citizens. If analysed followed by Switzerland with 60,365 (17.5%) and by age, most of these persons were middle aged. France with 25,225 (7.3%), (5.3%) and Sweden (3.3%), while the share of other European countries is significantly lower. As regards non- European countries most citizens from central Serbia are working and living in the USA (12,608 or 3.7%), Canada (8,458 or 2.5%) and Australia (5,693 or 1.7%).According to the International Organization for Migration, at national level 298,352 (4.9% of the total population) moved from the Republic of Serbia in 2005. They moved for employment reasons mainly, as labour migrants. The data provided by World Bank show that the emigrants leaving Republic of Serbia were 196,000 in 2010 (2.0% of the total population). Within the population statistics Eurostat publishes data on immigrants in the EU Member States. However, these data are available for only half of the Member States and should therefore be considered with caution. According to data available for 2009, 11,625 citizens of the Republic of Serbia are registered as immigrants in EU countries, mostly gravitating towards Italy, Slovenia, , and Sweden.

3. Immigrants presence in the Serbian labour market At the end of 2010, a total of 5,000 foreigners with valid temporary residence work permits were staying in the Republic of Serbia. Of that number, more than half were citizens of China (2,777). The National Employment Service issued a total of 2,576 work permits to foreigners in 2010, of which 98.3% to foreigners with temporary residence and 1.7% to foreigners with permanent residence. According to data obtained from the National Employment Service, the number of issued work permits indicates their page 5 Country Perspective Serbia

4. Foreign population by level of 5. Remittances/transfers of money educational attainment to country of origin The only data regarding the educational attainment of According to World Bank data for 2010, the Republic of foreigners in Serbia seem to be recorded by the Serbia was ranked 20th in the world according to the National Employment Service. At the end of 2010 amount of remittances received from abroad, which percentages between 9.3 and 14.4 of the total foreign amounted to USD 5.6 billion. According to the same population had a College or University degree. Over a source, remittances accounted for 13% of GDP in the third had only finished primary school and the Republic of Serbia in 2009. According to the data of the remaining half was represented in equal parts by Ministry of Religion and Diaspora, the largest inflow of persons with no education and persons with secondary foreign remittances comes from countries in which the education. majority of the Diaspora resides, such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, USA, France. Remittances from Foreigners recorded by the National Employment these countries account for 32.2% of the total inflow of Service on 31/12/2010, by education level: foreign remittances. On the basis of World Bank data, but referring to the whole Republic of Serbia in 2009, the amount of the outward remittance flow was 91 million USD (around 65,406 million Euros), of which 70 million USD made by worker’s remittance, 20 million USD by compensation of employer and 1 million USD by migrant transfer.

6. Relevant links • http://www.iom.int • http://www.stat.gov.rs • http://www.worldbank.org

page 6 Country Perspective Serbia

SIMPLE MAP (NUTS 2 level)

Sumadija and Pomoravlje

In the framework of MMWD – Making Migration Work for Development, the WP7 activities foresee the launch of a Transnational Platform for Policy Dialogue and Cooperation as an effort to support governments to address the consequence of Demographic trends on SEE territories. In particular, this platform will involve policy makers and decision makers at the national and sub-national level to promote the adoption of more effective services and regulations of the migration flows across the SEE area. In order to support and stimulate the dialogue within the Platform ad hoc migration profiles (MPs) will be developed for each partner country and will integrate the information and knowledge already provided by Demographic projections and Policy scenarios. The current MP focuses on the case of Sumadija and Pomoravlje Districts in Serbia. It’s centred around five topics: resident foreign population by gender, age cohorts and citizenship; population flows (internal migration, emigration, immigration); immigrants presence in the national labour market; foreign population by level of educational attainment; remittances/transfers of money to country of origin. 1. Resident foreign population by These topics have been selected among the MMWD gender, age cohorts and citizenship panel of indicators relevant to describe demographic According to the Census 2011 data, 15,533 persons and migration trends as well as to map their socio- coming from abroad lived in Sumadija . This is economic implications. equivalent to 5.3% of the overall population of the

district (293,308 inhabitants). In Background Information on Sumadija and there were 8,987 inhabitants came from abroad, which Pomoravlje is equivalent to 4.2% of the district total population (214,536). In both districts the rate of foreign presence Capital: (Sumadija) and is lower than the one at national level (10.7%) and most (Pomoravlje) of the people coming from abroad are female (56.7% in Sumadija and 57.8% in Pomoravlje). Official language: Serbian Only a little part of these people came in the two districts in the last ten years (13.5% of persons coming Area: 5,001 Km2 from abroad in Sumadija and 12.5% in Pomoravlje). Almost a third of people coming from abroad has lived Population (2011): 526,213 in Sumadija District for more than 10 years but until 20 Population density (2011): 105 inhabitants/ Km2 (33.5%), 13.9% for more than 20 years until 30 and another third more than 30 years (34.5%). The Natural change in population (2011): n.a. statistical distribution is quite comparable to Pomoravlje: 39.2% of residents coming from abroad Foreign citizens on total population (2012): 5.3% has lived in Pomoravlje District for more than 10 years (Sumadija) and 4.2% (Pomoravlje) but until 20, 13.5% for more than 20 years until 30 and 27.9% more than 30 years. Employment rate (2012): 45.7% Most of these foreigners came from the former : 83.4% of total foreigners living in Sumadija and 76.0% of those living in Pomoravlje. Unemployment rate (2012): n.a.

page 7 Country Perspective Serbia

Source: DEMOGRAFSKA_STATISTIKA (2011)

In particular, 27.3% of the foreigner living in Sumadija in Pomoravlje). 13.3% in Sumadija and 15.9% in came from Bosnia, 24.8% from Croatia, 21.2% from Pomoravlje are 35-44 years old and almost a quarter is , 7.0% from FYROM and 3.0% from over 45 (23.7% in Sumadija and 24.1% in Pomoravlje); Slovenia. In Pomoravlje district, 29.5% came from 13.8% in Sumadija and 14.1% in Pomoravlje are under Croatia, 24.6% from Bosnia, 10.5% from FYROM, 15 years old. 8.9% from Montenegro and 2.5% from Slovenia. On the opposite side, 3,349 people left Sumadija district Considering the country of birth to define the origin of to live in another area permanently and 3,041 left an individual, on 30 September 2011 (critical census Pomoravlje. As well as the number of emigrants is moment) there were 16,005 individuals resident in similar to that of immigrants, the gender distribution is Sumadija District and 9,153 in Pomoravlje District who also comparable. had been born outside the country; this is equivalent to 5.5% and 4.3% of the total population, lower than 11.8% at national level.

2. Population flows

2.1. Internal migration

On the basis of 2011 Census data, 112,116 individuals coming from different areas within the Republic of Serbia lived in Sumadija district and 76,697 in Pomoravlje district. This is equivalent to 34.3% of the

overall population in the first district and to 38.2% in the second one. Female composes almost two-thirds of the internal migrants (61.6% in Sumadija and 66.0% in Source: DEMOGRAFSKA_STATISTIKA (2011

Pomoravlje). In Sumadija district, 20.3% of internal migrants come from another settlement in the , 16.2% from another Municipality in the same area, while most of them came from another

area within Republic of Serbia (63.5%). The distribution

is a bit different in Pomoravlje district: 34.3% came from another settlement in the Municipality, 20.0% from another Municipality in the same area and less than half from another area (45.7%).

In 2012 only, 3,354 person changed her/his place of residence to Sumadija district and 2,881 to Pomoravlje district. Among them, almost a fifth is 15-24 years old (21.4% in Sumadija and 20.6% in Pomoravlje) and a

little more aged 25-34 (28.7% in Sumadija and 26.5% Source: DEMOGRAFSKA_STATISTIKA (2011) page 8 Country Perspective Serbia

Source: DEMOGRAFSKA_STATISTIKA(2011)

2.2. Emigration which are not EU members. Five countries that are According to International Organization for Migration, major sources of immigrants in the Republic of Serbia on national level 2,298,352 (4.9% of the total are China, Romania, Macedonia, Russian Federation population) moved from the Republic of Serbia in and Ukraine. 2005. They moved for employment reasons mainly, In the same year, the Ministry of Interior issued mainly as labour migrants. temporary residence permits (longer than 90 days) for The data provided by World Bank show that the 6,325 foreigners for the first time, mainly for work emigrants leaving Republic of Serbia were 196,000 in (39.9%) and family reunification (46.7%). 2010 (2.0% of the total population). The main In the case of the two districts observed, as written destination countries included Austria, USA, France, before, in 2011 15,533 persons coming from abroad Macedonia, Denmark and Japan. lived in Sumadija District and 8,987 in Pomoravlje, but Within the population statistics Eurostat publishes data no data is available about the flow from abroad. on immigrants in the EU Member States. However, these data are available for only half of the Member 3. Immigrants presence in the labour market States and should therefore be considered with caution. According to data available for 2009, 11,625 Considering the whole immigrant population in the two citizens of the Republic of Serbia are registered as districts (not only foreigners) and according to the immigrants in EU countries, mostly gravitating towards national classifications, most part of the people who Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Slovakia and Sweden. changed her/his place of residence to Sumadija district In the same year, 597,914 citizens of the Republic of in 2012 was dependant (61.9%), while 30.8% of them Serbia staying in the EU on grounds of temporary were economically active. residence based on work, education, family The situation in Pomoravlje is comparable: 70.0% of the reunification or other reasons were registered. immigrants who came in 2012 was dependant, 23.5% No data is available about the two districts instead. were economically active persons. In both districts, the economically active persons 2.2. Immigration worked mainly as experts and artists (48.7% of the total of economically active person in Sumadija and 46.7% in On national level, data of The Ministry of Interior show Pomoravlje), following by mining and manufacturing that in 2010, 21,577 immigrants (persons residing in (22.1% of the total of economically active person in the Republic of Serbia for more than 12 months based Sumadija and 16.7% in Pomoravlje) and trade (10.9% on granted temporary and permanent residence) were of the total of economically active person in Sumadija recorded in the Republic of Serbia; their number had and 16.5% in Pomoravlje). slightly increased compared to the previous year. When focusing the analysis on foreign residents only, it Persons with permanent residence permits account for can be noticed that in Pomoravlje 19.2% of employed 30% of the immigrant category, whilst the persons foreigners aged at least 15 years old are working in temporarily residing over a year’s period account for agriculture, forestry and fishing. At the same time, the remaining 70%. Taken by regions, the majority of 21.8% are employed in wholesale and retail, 16.1% in this population comes from the EU area, followed by manufacturing and 14.0% in mining activities. As far as the East Asia and in a lesser extent from the European Sumadija is concerned, the shares are quite similar: countries outside EU and former Yugoslav republics, page 9 Country Perspective Serbia

18.4% are occupied in the agriculture field, while 5. Remittances/transfers of money 22.9% in wholesale and retail and around 21% in to country of origin manufacturing. In addition to the above considerations, it can be seen On the basis of World Bank data, but referring to the that the number of unemployed foreign residents is whole Republic of Serbia in 2009, the amount of the significant for both districts. Still according to 2011 outward remittance flow is 91 million USD (around census, the unemployment rate of total foreign 65,406 million Euros), of which 70 million USD made by population in Pomoravlje is 28.5% (28.1% for men and worker’s remittance, 20 million USD by compensation of 29.0% for women). In Sumadija, instead, the rate is employer and 1 million USD by migrant transfer. The higher and close to 34.0% (with female unemployment inward remittance flow amount is 5,406 million USD reaching 37.8%). (around 3,886 million Euros), of which 3,755 million USD made by worker’s remittance, 184 million USD by compensation of employer and 3 million USD by migrant transfer. Foreigners employment rate, by main economic activity sector and sex (%): Agriculture, Wholesale Region/Area Sex Total forestry Mining Manufacturing Construction and retail and fishing REPUBLIC OF SERBIA T 100 10,2 1,2 12,3 10,1 27,7 M 100 7,8 1,8 12,9 16,1 25,6 F 100 13,6 0,2 11,5 1,6 30,7 Pomoravska T 100 19,2 14,0 16,1 4,1 21,8 M 100 14,3 25,7 15,2 7,6 21,9 F 100 25,0 n.a. 17,0 n.a. 21,6 Šumadijska oblast T 100 18,4 n.a. 20,9 7,5 22,9 M 100 16,5 n.a. 22,0 13,8 22,0 F 100 20,7 n.a. 19,6 n.a. 23,9 Source: 2011 Census

4. Foreign population by level of 6. Relevant links educational attainment - http://www.iom.int Data available on the distribution of foreign residents - http://www.stat.gov.rs according to their levels of educational attainment are - http://www.worldbank.org limited. However, some evidence can be provided concerning the employment rate of foreigners in Sumadija and Pomoravlje according to different levels of education attained. As expected, the employment rate of foreigners tends to increase as long as higher education is reached, but some peculiarities can be noticed as well. For instance, in Pomoravlje, the employment rate of foreigners with only primary education is equal to 32.5% and not only exceeds the district’s average (28.6%) but is also higher than that of foreign citizens with higher education (29.2%). On the contrary, in Sumadija the employment rate of foreigners increases constantly with higher levels of education attained, up to reaching 43.9% in cases of tertiary (university) education.

page 10 Country Perspective Serbia REGIONALIZATION AND REGIONS Serbia is characterised by asymmetric in terms of distribution of powers at different territorial levels, presently consisting of so-called Central Serbia, As of today and according to the Constitution, Serbia is where local self-governments – and composed of two Autonomous (autonomne cities-, are the only sub-national tier of , and pokrajine) (Vojvodina as well as Kosovo and Metohija) of Vojvodina, an autonomous . Linked to this is and the local self-government units, i.e. the of also the extremely complex situation of Kosovo. While Belgrade, 23 Cities (grad) and 150 Municipalities the process of local institution building has brought (opstina). Municipalities are the basic local self- about intense activity since 2001, the first steps government units. Cities have more than 100.000 concerning regionalisation at the central level only date inhabitants. The City of Belgrade has a special back to 2007, when the Ministry of Economy became status[4]. the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development The of Vojvodina contains itself and took over employment policy, a competence of the 7 Districts, 6 Cities and 45 Municipalities. The rights Ministry of Labour and Social Policy until then. and duties of the Province are described in the Constitution and in the Province’s Statute. Kosovo- Metohija consists of 29 Municipalities and 5 districts. The change of Serbia’s status from being part of a to an independent country has had a positive impact on the status of provincial autonomy within the unitary state of Serbia. We can mention a special chapter in the Constitution and several laws, including the Statute of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in force since 1 January 2010. In addition, Serbia has 5 Regions for statistical purposes (Belgrade Region, Vojvodina Region, Sumadija and Western Serbia Region, Eastern and Southern Serbia Region and Kosovo and Metohija Region) and 29 administrative Districts. The Law on Regional Development, adopted in 2009, introduced statistical regions and established an institutional framework for regional development. The first version of the Law established and seven Regional Development Agencies and seven statistical regions with contested boundaries (Sandžak was divided into two different statistical regions) and not in line with EU criteria. In any case, the law was amended in 2010 reducing the number of statistical regions to five. This ongoing sensitivity shows how the process of defining statistical regions, which are meant to be technical tools, cannot avoid identity factors and the political Powers of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina and dimension of regionalism1. of the Statistical Regions The 2006 Constitution foresees three levels of governance: central, provincial and local. The Autonomous Provinces date back to Yugoslavia: in 1 Although Article 182 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia 1974, Vojvodina, Kosovo and Metohija were granted provides for the establishment of new autonomous regions through considerable autonomy. This autonomy was ended in the process of changing the constitution, such initiatives at this time the 1980s and restored in 2002. are not politically attractive. Regionalism has not become significantly On 14 December 2009, the statute of the Autonomous rooted in Serbia and civic perception. The reason for this can be Province of Vojvodina was adopted and in the same found in the pessimistic perception of the population and the major year, the Law on establishing competencies of the political parties towards regionalism, formed on the basis of secession Autonomous Province of Vojvodina transferred of the Yugoslav republics during the 1990s, as well as in the events that competences from the State to the Province. Serbia at led to the independence of Kosovo and Metohija in 2008. Unlike in the moment does not recognize Kosovo and Metohija’s Vojvodina, in other parts of Serbia there is no political mobilisation at independence which was proclaimed on 17 February the regional level, and there are no clearly defined historical regions with a tradition of political autonomy. The exception is the historic 2008 and considers it as an Autonomous Province. The region of Sandzak, a Bosniak majority area located on the border with Constitution provides that the substantial autonomy for Montenegro, whose territorial identity continues to be a sensitive issue Kosovo and Metohija shall be regulated by a special and the debate over political and territorial autonomy from the centre law (art. 182). In accordance with the Constitution (Art. has been extensive. 183), the Autonomous Provinces may regulate matters of provincial interest in a number of fields including of: Education; Social welfare; Realisation of human and page 11 Country Perspective Serbia

minority rights; Regional development; Urban planning National Council for Regional Development, formed by and development.2 the Government, which brings together Ministers with responsibilities in the field of regional development Regional development and Regional Development (economy and regional development, finance, national main structures investment plan, the environment and spatial planning, Regional differences in Serbia are among the highest and local self-government, labour in the Europe area, so that encourages and social policy and sustainable development of balanced regional development are needed. underdeveloped areas, Kosovo and Metohija), This is also reflected in the Article 94 of the representatives of all regions, national institutions, cities Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, which notes that and municipalities. “The Republic of Serbia takes care [...] of balanced and A Regional Development Council (RDC) is established sustainable regional development, in accordance with in each region to ensure and promote their the law”. In addition, preparations for joining the EU development. RDCs are established for a period of 5 stimulated the creation of mechanisms for regional years and they are made up of representatives of local development in order to prepare the country for the government units that make up the region, as well as absorption of EU structural and cohesion funds. representatives of city municipalities, public and civil So the principle of regional development started to be sector, other institutions and organisations, and used with a “top-down” approach. The Strategy of representatives of the Serbian Government. Member of Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia 2007- the Regional Development Council for the region of 2012 was developed in 2006, giving the boot to the Vojvodina is the representative of the Autonomous development of the legal and institutional framework Province of Vojvodina, and the member of the Regional for regional development. The Law on Regional Council for Belgrade Region is the representative of the Development of the Republic of Serbia was adopted in City. 2009. This Act defines the Region as a “statistically RDCs publicly promote the objectives of regional functional territorial unit consisting of one or more development and encourage their implementation in the areas, established for the planning and implementation territory of the region. RDCs give opinions on the of regional development policy, in accordance with the regional strategy to be adopted and on funding program nomenclature of statistical territorial units (NUTS) at for regional development. level 2, not an administrative territorial unit and no legal Regional Development Agencies are established as entity” (Article 4). business entities or associations in order to perform The Law defines the following five regions: Region of tasks that enhance regional development. The Law on Vojvodina; Region of Belgrade; Region of Šumadija Regional Development defines the minimum number of and Western Serbia; Region of Southern and Eastern regional development agencies in each region and by- Serbia; Region of Kosovo and Metohija. laws define the criteria for accreditation of agencies by The Law lists a number of objectives for regional the National Agency for Regional Development. development: a) overall socio-economic sustainable Regional Development Agencies are established as development; b) decreasing regional and inter-regional public-private partnerships between local governments, disparities with an the emphasis on supporting the private sector and organizations, and in development of underdeveloped, industrially some cases there are also other entities among the devastated and rural areas; c) decreasing negative founders (universities, chambers of commerce, etc.). demographic trends; d) development of a regional The law foresees the development of the National Plan knowledge-economy based on scientific and social of Regional Development and Regional Development innovation; e) development of territorial Strategies for each of the five regions. The recently competitiveness; finalized National Plan of Regional Development of f) legal and institutional framework establishment for Serbia 2013 – 2022 in the Ministry of Economy and development activities; g) promotion of inter-municipal, Regional Development, was implemented with technical inter-regional, cross-border and international support from EU IPA 2007 project “Assistance to cooperation in matters of mutual interest; h) more Regional Policy Development at National Level” - efficient use of natural resources and goods at any RegPol. territorial level. In addition to developing the National Plan of Regional The Law defines the establishment of the following Development, the Law foresees the creation of five-year institutions of importance for regional development: Regional Strategies that should be adopted by the central government on the recommendation of the line 3 2 The other fields inckude: Agriculture; Water management; Catering; ministry . Regional strategies for the Southern and Forestry; Hunting; Fishing; Tourism; Hospitality industry; Spas and Eastern Serbia, and Sumadija and Western Serbia health resorts; Environmental protection; Industry and craftsmanship; regions have been released recently. Roads; River and rail traffic, road design; Events organisation; Sport; Culture; Healthcare; Public information; Determined symbols of Autonomous Provinces and ways of using them; Managing the property of Autonomous Provinces; the provision of funds to local level 3 Regions of Vojvodina and Belgrade have created their development for performing delegated tasks, bringing the budget and final accounts. strategies that should be revised to comply with the National Plan of Regional Development. page 12 Country Perspective Serbia POLICY GOVERNANCE not legislative activity but rather implementation of the adopted regulations.

Labour Governance In the framework of MMWD Activity 7.1 around 50 subjects and entities (stakeholders) have been mapped related to the Labour Policy governance (regulation; planning; implementation and services). The policy governance sees local autonomies and regional entities involved in the implementation and delivery phases. The negotiation table with social partners is represented by the National Council for Employment. The Council consists of the representatives of the government, trade unions and associations of employers on the national level, representatives of NES, Employment Agency and experts in the field of employment. There is no presence of a migration stream in the policy framework. Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs is responsible for state administration related to system of labour relations and rights of labour, including the exercise of labor rights of workers temporarily employed abroad, the protection of citizens employed abroad, the conclusion of agreements on sending workers to work abroad, the cooperation with international organizations in the area of employment, international conventions on labour, health and safety at work. The Ministry acts in line with the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (2008), the National Employment Strategy for the period 2011-2020 and the national legal framework. Main Ministry implementation tools are represented by Labour Inspectorate and the National Employment Service. The Ministry operates in coordination with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and the Ministry of Regional Development and Local self-governments. The National Council for Employment is an operating consulting instrument gathering the representatives of the government, trade unions and associations of employers on the national level, representatives of National Employment Service, Employment Agency and experts in the field of employment. Giving the administrative devolution process introduced in Serbia since 2002 a relevant support in term of implementation and services is also provided by the National Agency for Regional Development that implements the policy of regional development in link with Regional Development Agencies. In this sense, a specific consultative role is also given to Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities - Association of Towns and Municipalities of Serbia for the implementation of the goals related to development and local self-government. Following to recent EU assessments, The Serbian legislation has mostly been harmonized with the EU acquis, as shown by the first screenings concerning Chapters 2 and 19 which deal with the freedom of movement for workers, social policy and employment. According to Serbian negotiators present problem is page 13 Country Perspective Serbia Welfare Governance insufficiently developed. In Serbia, the local governments’ capacities are not at the level required for quick transfer of mandates and In the framework of MMWD Activity 7.1 around 140 responsibilities for social welfare; and a number of subjects and entities (stakeholders) have been social welfare services is financed and formulated at the mapped related to the Social Policy governance central level. At local level, part of social welfare (regulation; planning; implementation and services). spending is also financed through extra budgetary The policy governance sees Autonomous Provinces funds, primarily through donations, and social welfare (social welfare and realisation of human and minority services are provided not only by state institutions but rights), Cities and Municipalities (social protection and also by non-government organizations (NGOs). social care of children) involved also in the regulation Planning, implementation and services are provided at level. A migration stream is present in the Social local level within the 136 Centers for social work, Policies framework (housing). established by Law on Social Protection and distributed Local autonomies and regional entities are involved overall the Serbian territory as public administration also in the implementation and services delivery tasks delegated by the central level but operating as phases. The negotiation table with social partners is local sector departments. Centers are territorial represented by the National Council for Employment. institutions of social protection that implement public The Council consists of the representatives of the authority in domain of social protection, social work and government, trade unions and associations of family legal protection. At present, the majority of the employers on the national level, representatives of funds for the Center operations come from the central NES, Employment Agency and experts in the field of budget, while a much smaller portion is financed by employment. There is no presence of a migration local budgets. stream in the policy framework. Main institution for social policies regulation at national level is the Ministry of labour, employment and social policy through its Department for family care and social protection, Department for protection of invalids, Department for security and health at work and Department for gender equality. The 2011 Law on Social Protection gives the framework rights in the field of social protection and social security (defining the beneficiaries of the social protection rights or services as individuals and/or families who are faced with difficulties in meeting their needs), all the way to establishing the Chamber of Social Protection and introduction of licensing procedures for organisations of social protection, licensing of professionals and accreditation of training and service provision programmes. the new law precisely stipulates that beneficiaries of social protection shall be citizens of the Republic of Serbia, adding that beneficiaries may include foreign citizens and persons without citizenship as well. The process of devolution started after 2003 implied the transfer of certain functions from the central to local level government (municipality) also for social policy issues. The Law on social welfare and securing social security of the citizens proscribes that the municipality determines and finances the entitlements to: - one-off cash payments, - homecare, - day care center services, - clothing and incidentals for beneficiaries placed in residential institutions or other family, and, - temporary placement into shelters or safe houses.

The law essentially foresees that local governments must secure certain and/or all mentioned types of social welfare if there is a need for them in the local community. Yet, due to the lack of local budgetary funds, social welfare services at the local level are page 14 Country Perspective Serbia Education Governance stakeholders in the development of vocational education and adult education; in line with the needs and expectations of the labor market, it connects the The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological world of work and the world of employment and Development of public administration tasks are related participates in the development and management of the to research, planning and development of education, vocational education and adult education system. The development, implementation and promotion of key institution in the drafting of technical documents for scientific research, training for research, identification the implementation of VET is the Institute for and implementation of innovation policies, transfer of Improvement of Education (IIE), which is in charge of knowledge and technology in the economy, technical duties in the field of education. Other key development and improvement of the innovation actors in vocational education are the Serbian Chamber system in Serbia, creating the conditions for access to of Commerce, the Social and Economic Council, trade and implementation of projects financed from pre- unions, the Employers’ Association and Sector-level accession funds of the European Union, grants and Councils other forms of development assistance, and other activities prescribed by law. The conceptual framework of the decentralisation policy of the Ministry , as it is reflected in the 2003 Law on Education creates a well-balanced framework sharing responsibilities adequately between the national, the territorial, the local (municipal) and the institutional (school) levels. In a context characterised by the uncertainties related with property rights, public financing and public administration reform the Ministry went as far as possible ahead with its sectoral policy of decentralisation. The assignment of tasks and roles to the four levels of governance form a coherent and logical structure, which can orient appropriately to further progress of sectoral governance reform. In the context of National Public Administration Reform, Educational reform introduced in 2003 has provided the development of regional administration of and, particularly, on the Regional School Authorities (Skolska Uprava) as organisations subordinated to the Ministry. The same 2003 Education Law takes into account the enlarged responsibilities of municipal self-governments (shaping education policy, legal inspection, management of educational buildings, technical maintenance, infrastructure development and financing, process of enrolment, protection and safety of children), and also regulates the role of self-governments in the area of inspection and financing. The governance system in VET involves three key institutions – Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development (MoESTD), the Council for Vocational Education and Adult Education (CVEAE ) and the National Education Council. The duties of MoESTD are governed by Article 12 of the Law on Ministries (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 16/11). CVEAE has been set up pursuant to a decision of the of 5 May 2010. It has 21 members, including: representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, craftsmen, employers’ association, vocational education experts, representatives of labor, employment and social policy institutions, VET school teachers and members of representative trade unions. The Council should contribute to the development of human resources needed to create a knowledge-based economy and society built around the principles of lifelong learning. The Council ensures the involvement of all page 15 Country Perspective Serbia

References

• Demographic Yearbook in the Republic of Serbia 2012, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2013 • Migration in Serbia. A country profile 2008, International Organization for Migration, 2008 • Migration profile of the Republic of Serbia in 2010, The Government of the Republic of Serbia, 2011 • Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Serbia 2013, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2013 • Statistical Pocketbook of the Republic of Serbia 2013, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2013 • Migrations. Data by Municipalities and cities, Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia, 2013 • MMWD – Making Migration Work for Development

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Notes and comments

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