Employers Accept Proposition for Minimum Wage, But Expect Additional State Assistance

At the negotiations of the representatives of the Government of Serbia, the Serbian Association of Employers and the representative trade unions at the session of the Social-Economic Council (SEC), no agreement about the minimum wage for 2024 was reached.

The trade unions stood by their position that the minimum wage should be equalized with the minimal consumer basket.

On the other hand, the employers believe that an increase of the minimum wage by nearly 18% is too high, considering that the inflation will be at around 5% next year.

The honorary president of the Serbian Association of Employers, Nebojsa Atanackovic, says for Biznis.rs that the employers believe that, with the growth of the minimum wage, salaries in general will increase, which a large number of employers from the private sector will not be able to withstand due to the high charges.

– We did finally accept the proposed minimum wage increase of RSD 47,154, because that entails the non-taxable salary part for the employers of RSD 25,000. We have accepted that, except that we hope that they will present some measures to help those companies which experience difficulties – Atanackovic says.

He points out that, if the proposition of the trade unions for the equalization of the minimal consumer basket and the minimum wage were accepted, the increase would amount to around 30%, which is too much at this moment.

– Even this increase of 18% is higher than was projected based on the parameters according to which the increase is harmonized, and those are inflation and GDP growth – Atanackovic emphasizes.

As the minister of finance of Serbia, Sinisa Mali, said at the meeting, the government will decide on the minimum wage at the session scheduled for September 14.

Nebojsa Atanackovic assumes that it will be the proposed amount of RSD 47,154.

Vlada Republike Srbije

Unija poslodavaca Srbije

Socijalno-ekonomski savet Republike Srbije Beograd

Government of Serbia

Serbian Association of Employers

Social Economic Council

Nebojsa Atanackovic

Sinisa Mali

minimum wage