Trade Union Warns at Difficult Social Circumstances Prevailing in Serbia

500,000 People in Serbia Live in Extreme Poverty, Social Support Decreasing(BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/)

The Trade Union “Sloga” (Concord) warned on Aug. 31 that unless the minimum wage increased drastically, and if salaries and pensions were not adjusted to inflation several times a year, Serbia might witness “a serious social rebellion.”

“The pompous promise that pensions will go up in October, November at the latest, and again next January, is a dangerous and extremely irresponsible game involving the fates and nerves of the oldest and poorest Serbs. Similarly, an entire drama surrounded the proclamation of a minimum wage of some RSD40,000, a pittance the authorities in Serbia have presented through their media as an enormous achievement and evidence of their ability to run the national economy. It’s been promoted as a success all the neighbors envy Serbia for, which is a complete deception and an epic lie,” the trade union said in a release.

Sloga has cautioned that living with a two-digit inflation rate is unbearable, and that the old and socially vulnerable categories will suffer the most next winter, especially the families depending on the minimum wage, yet to pay for fuels for heating.