Transparency Level of Local Self-Governments in Serbia Slightly Up from 2021

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Transparency level of towns and municipalities in Serbia in 2022 is slightly up from last year, but an average of 49 points out of 100 maximum points is still low, shows a study carried out by Transparency Serbia (TS) and presented in Belgrade on May 24.  

The survey, conducted with the assistance of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), reveals that the most transparent local self-governments are Novi Pazar, Sombor and Sokobanja. A total of 11 municipalities and towns scored above 70 points and four above 80 points. The lowest ranked with under 30 points are Bujanovac, Knic, Kovacica, Secanj, Koceljeva, and Presevo.  

At the presentation of the results of Local Transparency Index, it was said that an average score of 145 local self-governments of 49, on the 0 to 100 scale, was “still a weak score,” but was one point up compared to 2021 results and nine points up from 2015, when the research was first conducted.  

TS representatives said that the biggest increase in transparency from 44.3 to 54.7 percent was registered with “public debates and public openings.” A drop in transparency level was reported in four fields, with “public procurement” registering the biggest decline from 95.5 to 72.6 percent and “information booklet” from 51.9 to 41.7 percent.