Serbia Budget Deficit
General government net lending/borrowing as % of GDP GGXCNL_NGDP
Serbia's budget deficit was -2.73% in 2025, ranked 90th globally. This represents a 56.0% decrease from 2024. Data from IMF WEO, covering 2000–2025.
Overview
Serbia's budget deficit stood at -2.73% in 2025, a decline of +0.98% from 2024. The IMF projects -2.73% by 2025. Serbia ranked 90th globally.
Serbia's budget deficit has experienced significant fluctuations over the past 26 years, with the all-time trough occurring in 2020 at -6.91, a stark contrast to the peak of 1.32 in 2017. The country's fiscal position has improved substantially since then, with the most recent data from the IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) indicating a budget deficit of -2.73 in 2025, ranking it among the closest peers such as Australia. This improvement is a notable achievement considering the global economic landscape. The deficit has generally trended downwards since the 2000s, with the exception of 2017, when it reached its highest level. The recent decline suggests that Serbia's fiscal consolidation efforts have been effective in stabilizing the budget. However, continued structural reforms and prudent fiscal management will be essential to sustain this trend and reduce the country's reliance on external financing, potentially leading to a further decrease in the budget deficit in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Budget Deficit | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2030* IMF | -1.81% | - | - |
| 2029* IMF | -2.31% | - | - |
| 2028* IMF | -2.32% | - | - |
| 2027* IMF | -2.80% | - | - |
| 2026* IMF | -2.78% | - | - |
| 2025* IMF | -2.73% | - | - |
| 2025 | -2.73% | −0.98% | #90 |
| 2024 | -1.75% | −0.54% | #117 |
| 2023 | -1.21% | −1.07% | #131 |
| 2022 | -0.14% | +3.02% | #141 |
| 2021 | -3.16% | +3.76% | #109 |
| 2020 | -6.91% | −6.91% | #84 |
| 2019 | 0.00% | −0.78% | #136 |
| 2018 | 0.78% | −0.54% | #145 |
| 2017 | 1.32% | +2.39% | #165 |
| 2016 | -1.08% | +2.17% | #130 |
| 2015 | -3.25% | +2.36% | #85 |
| 2014 | -5.61% | −0.82% | #31 |
| 2013 | -4.79% | +1.32% | #42 |
| 2012 | -6.11% | −2.35% | #31 |
| 2011 | -3.75% | −0.41% | #63 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Serbia matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 2011. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw budget deficit improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Serbia's budget deficit was -2.73% in 2025. Ranked 90th globally. This represents a 56.0% decrease from the previous year.
Serbia's budget deficit peaked at 1.32% in 2017.
The lowest budget deficit in Serbia was -6.91% in 2020.
Serbia ranks 90th globally in budget deficit as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is GGXCNL_NGDP. Data sourced from IMF WEO.
Serbia's budget deficit is projected to reach -2.73% by 2025 based on IMF projection.
The budget deficit of Serbia in 2025 was -2.73%. This ranks 90th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_serbia_budget-deficit,
title = {Serbia Budget Deficit},
url = {https://historysaid.com/serbia/budget-deficit/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}