The Serbian Public: Serbia is a Captured State but it Must Liberate Itself on its Own

Most people in Serbia believe politicians do not work for the public interest and that they are instead organised into interest groups, together with domestic and foreign tycoons who misuse power for their own gain. Their main tools for realising their goals are the judiciary, the media, parliament and the police. More than half of respondents stated that the police do not serve the public and instead serve the interests of criminals, politicians and the financially powerful.

More than half of people believe that there either is no democracy in Serbia at all or that it faces serious problems. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that people believe that the National Assembly has the least influence on political decision-making – less than domestic tycoons and foreign companies or even foreign powers. The vast majority of people (90%) believe that the President of Serbia is the key actor in political decision-making in Serbia. If we take into consideration the aforementioned findings that politicians are seen as working in their own interests and in the interests of domestic and foreign tycoons, it appears that the main driver of state capture in Serbia is the President of the Republic.

Public apathy is also evident in people’s unwillingness to participate in activist initiatives, with only one in five of respondents ready to engage in this kind of activity. The most powerful motive respondents cited for participation in civic or activist initiatives is the resolution of problems that affect them personally or their loved ones, followed by a desire to help others and, finally, the prevention of threats to the public good.

The findings presented here are part of a larger public opinion survey conducted for the BCSP by Sprint Insight between 25 September and 5 October 2020, on a sample numbering 1,101 participants.