Poverty

Smoking

27.May 2026. Isidora Ceric

Tobacco under the counter five times cheaper than cigarettes

In Belgrade markets, cut tobacco is sold under the counter, and those who can no longer afford legal cigarettes buy it.

18.May 2026. MLJ

Serbia is among the poorest countries in Europe, but richer than Kosovo

The latest WorldAtlas analysis, based on IMF data, shows that Serbia is still at the bottom of the European economic ladder, while Kosovo is ranked as the poorest economy in Europe.

Poverty

09.April 2026. NM

Poverty in Serbia: How to live in the red

In Serbia, the average monthly income per household in 2025 was 109.136 dinars, and expenditures for personal consumption of households were 109.787 dinars. How to live in the red in a country where a fifth of the Greek nation is on the brink of existence

Romi

08.April 2026. Anja Mihic

World Roma Day: Discrimination and congratulations

World Roma Day is celebrated on April 8. Congratulations are coming from state and European officials, and systemic problems remain unresolved for decades

Poverty

08.April 2026. KS

According to the new rules, who is entitled to a free meal in Belgrade

The city of Belgrade has changed the rules on awarding free meals, expanding the categories of users. Who has the right to a free meal at a public kitchen in Belgrade and whether the new system is fairer than the previous one

Poverty

25.march 2026 MLJ

While Vučić announces salaries of 2.000 euros, Serbia is languishing in poverty

A salary of 2.000 euros and a pension of 750 was presented by Aleksandar Vučić as a long-term goal of the country. While waiting for this goal to be achieved, a fifth of the people in Serbia are living in poverty

Poverty

21.march 2026 B. B.

Poverty: A fifth of the Greek nation is on the brink of existence, who is the most vulnerable

According to the type of household, the highest rate of risk of poverty was experienced by persons in households consisting of one parent with one or more dependent children.

Overview of the week

30.January 2026 Philip Schwarm

Justice for the poor of Serbia

What would you choose between voting for Vučić and three reds or having your electricity cut off? Especially if you work the roughest odd jobs, you have never been and will never go to the beach, or take your children to the dentist

Social gap

21.January 2026 B. B.

The world of billionaires: The 12 richest people have more money than four billion people

The richest are getting richer, and the poorest are getting poorer. Thus, in 2025, the twelve richest people in the world had more money than half of humanity, i.e. more than four billion people

The super rich

19.January 2026 KS

Oxfam before Davos: Billionaires getting richer

While one in four people in the world struggle to have enough to eat on a regular basis, and almost half of the world's population lives in poverty, the super-rich are getting richer - in 2025 alone, the wealth of billionaires grew three times faster than before

Life in poverty

03.January 2026 Milica Srejić

Poverty in Serbia: How to survive another year

In Serbia, at least a quarter of people barely make ends meet, and the number of absolutely poor countries is deliberately not published. Those people, says the interlocutor of "Vremen", are condemned to false promises and political blackmail of the authorities, and to life with their noses just above water.

According to research by the Scelles Foundation and the latest data from the United Nations, there are between 40 and 52 million people employed in the sexual industry in the world.

Human trafficking

14.December 2025 Dragan Radovancevic

Map of pain and poverty: Global prostitution turns over 150 billion dollars a year

The American Film Academy, knowingly or not, by awarding the film "Anora" with five Oscars opened a discussion: what do we know about prostitution in the world? Where and why do around 50 million, often minor women and children forced into sexual exploitation come from? How can this problem be solved?

200 grams of Imlek butter in the Idea store costs 398,99 dinars, so it is often stolen

A story from life

17.October 2025 Andrei Ivanji

Butter thieves

I went to the store to buy butter. I found the plastic, suede boxes in which it was stored. I was overcome with sadness

Poverty

16.October 2025 NM

Serbia boasts of growth, but the people have nothing to live on: A quarter of citizens are at risk of poverty

Although the government talks about economic successes, data from the Republic Institute of Statistics show that almost a quarter of Serbian citizens still live at risk of poverty. Economist Milan Kovačević points out for "Vreme" that this figure is large, but also that it is very difficult to reduce it

Serbia does not measure the number of citizens in absolute poverty

World Day of the Poor

09.August 2025 TS

Initiative A11: Vučić's measures for the poor are just a continuation of propaganda

Vučić's announced measures to help the poor are a continuation of political propaganda, the A11 Initiative warns. They add that it is almost impossible to expect a responsible approach from "those who have been using other people's poverty as a political tool for years"

Economy

31.July 2025 Milica Srejić

Vučić's social policy: Lower some prices and continue as usual

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has announced a large package of social measures for citizens from September 1, which are partly related to lower prices in stores. There have been such actions in the same period before. What are their consequences?

Germany

30.July 2025 Nemanja Rujevic

Leonard and friends buy people out of prison

In Germany, driving without a ticket is a crime, so thousands of people end up in prison because they don't have to pay the fine. This is where the Freedom Fund comes into play

Social protection

27.June 2025 MS

Serbia's family policy and hungry children: What do the statistics say?

While the public authorities are leading a pro-natal policy, basic regulations for child care are lacking. What is missing and what are the data?

Poverty and arrogance

25.June 2025 MLJ

Who is hungry - Vučić or the people

Around 450 citizens of Serbia do not have any meal every day, not for the strawberries and cherries that Vučić takes pictures with. These are not only the homeless, but also pensioners with low incomes. The Food Bank says that each of us can go without food

Poverty

24.June 2025 KS

Poverty in Serbia: About 85 percent of households are struggling to make ends meet

While Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and the Minister of Finance regularly boast about economic indicators, with the recent shift of responsibility to civil and student protests for the economic decline, every fifth resident of Serbia lives at risk of poverty.

Poverty

21.June 2025 S.Ć.

The South and East of Serbia are far above the national poverty average

The region of the south and east of Serbia will continue to record the highest poverty risk rate in the country in 2024 - 27,7 percent, according to the latest data from the Republic Institute of Statistics, which is far above the national average of 19,7 percent.

Construction

30.May 2025. KS

New economy: Social housing has not been built in Belgrade for ten years

In Belgrade in the last 10 years, not a single apartment for the most socially vulnerable has been built, according to the data of the organization A11

Social policy

27.May 2025. Milica Srejić

Statistical games: Why is absolute poverty no longer measured in Serbia?

After the statement by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, that the poor in Serbia live significantly better than before, we asked the question: on the basis of what information did he arrive at that data and how does Serbia measure poverty in general

Economy

21.April 2025. B. B.

Radonjić: Two million citizens on the threshold of poverty

"Serbia is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, after Russia and Ukraine, it is third on the European list of countries in terms of the strength of organized crime," says Ognjen Radonjić, full professor of economics at the Faculty of Philosophy in Belgrade.

Standard of living

20.February 2025. B. B.

Golden age: Every fifth citizen of Serbia is at risk of poverty

"The authorities lie, they present a fictitious picture to convince people that they have never been better off, and in fact the current protests show that people have realized that they are being lied to and that they know how they live," sociologist Slobodan Cvejić told Vreme.

Factories leave, workers stay

19.February 2025. Tijana Stanic

The specter of unemployment is circling the south of Serbia

Benetton's announcement that it is closing its plant in Niš means that more than 900 people in that city will lose their jobs. Other factories in the south of Serbia, such as Johnson Electric, Jure and Aptiva, have problems that could lead to an additional increase in unemployment. What should the state do so that workers stop being cheap and replaceable labor force

Sorrow in the South

23.January 2025 Ivan Mitkovski

How the distance Vranje - Belgrade of 342 kilometers turned into a gap of 342 years

Once known for its colorful spirit and industry, Vranje is now experiencing a mass exodus of residents. Poverty, low wages and poor working conditions have taken their toll, while the city remains trapped in a maelstrom of political and economic problems. While sausages and dried meat are offered to guests, many residents of Vranje barely make ends meet