GRECO: Serbia Implemented Only Three Out of 24 Recommendations on Preventing Corruption 

Serbia flag (Photo: Unsplash/Stefan Kostić)

The Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), established by the Council of Europe (CoE) to monitor States’ compliance with the organization’s anti-corruption standards, on Aug. 18 published its Fifth Round Second Compliance Report on Serbia, saying that out of 24 recommendations for preventing corruption, Serbia satisfactorily implemented three, 10 were partly implemented, while 11 were not implemented. 

GRECO’s latest report assesses recommendations to prevent corruption and promote integrity in respect of central governments (top executive functions) and law enforcement agencies. The Second Compliance Report assesses implementation of the recommendations contained in the Fifth Round Evaluation Report on Serbia, published in July 2022, while the corresponding Compliance Report was made public in July 2024. 

In this report, GRECO describes the adoption and publication of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy for 2024-2028 as an important development, but notes that a dedicated strategic document on the prevention of corruption amongst persons entrusted with top executive functions (PTEFs) remains to be developed.

GRECO also said it is concerned that chiefs of staff and advisers remain outside the scope of the Law on Prevention of Corruption, while integrity checks are still not part of appointment process of prospective ministers, chiefs of staff and advisers.

“No code of conduct covering PTEFs has been adopted and nor is there a document on conduct for the President,” it is said in the report. 

The CoE body also notes that the amendments to the Law on the Prosecution, adopted in January 2026, risk considerably undermining the efficient functioning of the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime, owing in particular to their adverse effects on its staffing. 

GRECO concludes that Serbia is not in sufficient compliance with the recommendations contained in the Fifth Round Evaluation Report, and asks the Head of delegation of Serbia to provide a report on the progress in implementing the outstanding recommendations by June 30, 2027.