Serbian Parliament Passes 2026 Budget Revision
Serbia's parliament passed the 2026 budget revision, 137 votes to 164 present. More funds go to investment, health and defense, and citizens get 6,000 dinars from September 22.
The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia passed the Bill on Amendments to the 2026 Budget Law today, August 31. The revision was backed by 137 lawmakers, out of 164 present in the chamber.
The vote came a few days after we reported that the budget revision, together with the announced one-time aid to citizens, was still awaiting lawmakers. The final tally is now known, along with the full breakdown of revenue and spending for the rest of the year.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sinisa Mali presented the bill to lawmakers.
How much money is coming into the budget
Total state revenue and receipts are planned at 2,527.15 billion dinars, 112.45 billion dinars more than in the original budget. Of that, tax revenue accounts for 2,108.3 billion dinars and non-tax revenue for 382.9 billion dinars. Tax revenue makes up 83.4% of total revenue, non-tax revenue 15.2%, and donations 1.4%.
Economic growth for 2026 is projected at 3.3%, while gross domestic product is expected to reach 95.3 billion euros. Public debt is projected at 43.8% at the central government level, or 44.2% at the general government level.
Capital investment is planned at 779.9 billion dinars, or 7.0% of gross domestic product, Mali said as he presented the bill to lawmakers.
Where the extra money goes
The revision sets aside 28.3 billion dinars more for healthcare, including treatment of rare diseases, innovative medicines and continued construction of the Tirsova 2 children’s hospital. Social protection gets roughly 25 billion dinars more; within that, the Alimony Fund receives 60.7 million dinars and the parent caregiver program 591.5 million dinars.
The Ministry of Defense and the Serbian Armed Forces are allocated 315.9 billion dinars. The revision also adds more funding for roads, so every current capital project can continue, from preparations for Expo 2027 to the Moravian Corridor, the Danube Highway and the Smajlija project in Vojvodina, as well as the start of works on the Vozd Karadjordje road.
The budget sets aside 734.4 million euros for the aid package to citizens. Speaking during the parliamentary debate on August 28, Mali detailed the payout schedule for part of that package, the one-time payment of 6,000 dinars we had previously reported on:
“From September 22 to 25, we will pay a one-time benefit of 6,000 dinars to all adult citizens of Serbia.”
What else was passed
Alongside the budget revision, lawmakers also passed the Law on Mitigating the Consequences of the Energy Crisis and Increased Cost of Living through One-Time Financial Support and One-Time Cash Benefits, as well as decisions on the financial plans of the Republic Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, the Republic Health Insurance Fund, the Fund for Social Insurance of Military Insurees, and the National Employment Service.
Lawmakers also passed the Law on the Final Budget Account of the Republic of Serbia for 2025, along with a series of amendments to tax laws, from the Value Added Tax Law and the Excise Duties Law to the Fiscalization Law and the Public Debt Law.
The next step is implementation. The first real test comes in late September, when the one-time aid payment to citizens, announced for September 22 to 25, is due to begin.
