Foreign Operations Assistance: Serbia

United States Department of State
Office of the Coordinator of U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia
Foreign Operations Assistance Fact Sheet, April 2012 *

SERBIA

United States Government (USG) assistance to Serbia aims to help the country become a stable, multiethnic, democratic, and prosperous country fully integrated into Euro-Atlantic institutions, while contributing to regional security in the Western Balkans. Support focuses on helping Serbia strengthen and entrench democratic institutions and good governance, increase the capacity of civil society organizations, overcome past ethnic divisions, foster broad-based economic progress, and build good relationships with its neighbors.

Recent Successes by Areas of Focus:

Peace & Security

• Since initial eligibility in 2007, Serbia has received $4.2 million in military training funding and has augmented this with $1.2 million in host nation funding. As of the end of 2011, 228 personnel have successfully completed training. Importantly, well over half of Serbia’s overseas military schooling takes place inside the U.S.
• U.S. assistance in FY 2011 provided a secure Operational Analysis Network to the Crime Police Directorate of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, which will enable instant criminal database searches. A data search technology in partnership with the Serbian War Crimes Investigation Service (WCIS) made it possible to store all archived war crime material in one database, allowing for greatly increased capabilities to conduct rapid and accurate searches of archived data in all media and in multiple languages.

• BY ACCOUNT	FY 2011 ACTUAL	FY 2012 ESTIMATE	FY 2013 REQUEST
  TOTAL ($000s)	$48,939	$38,850	$28,063
  Assistance for Europe, Eurasia and Central Asia	$45,000	$33,500	$0
  Economic Support Fund	$0	$0	$19,913
  Foreign Military Financing	$1,896	$1,800	$1,800
  International Military Education and Training	$893	$900	$900
  International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement	$0	$0	$3,000
  Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs	$1,150	$2,650	$2,450

  The arrests in 2011 of war crimes suspects Ratko Mladic and Goran Hadzic show how long-term cooperation and assistance can produce results. U.S. training over the previous five-year period contributed to the WCIS’s capabilities in making these arrests.
• After two years of U.S. –provided legislative drafting assistance, Serbia enacted a new Criminal Procedure Code (CPC). This complex new instrument is expected to fundamentally improve the Serbian criminal justice system. The new CPC contains important reforms that should result in a system that more efficiently and effectively fights crime; is more closely aligned with European norms; and better protects the human rights of both defendants and crime victims.
• In FY 2011, USG support for decentralization led to campaigns by the Serbian National Coalition for Decentralization, which mobilized more than 20,000 citizens in 12 cities to take interest in how decentralization can improve everyday lives. The Coalition’s work has facilitated better communication between citizens and government, and raised the profile of the regions of Serbia that are frequently marginalized in the decision-making process.

• BY OBJECTIVE	FY 2011 ACTUAL	FY 2012 ESTIMATE	FY 2013 REQUEST
  TOTAL ($000s)	$48,939	$38,850	$28,063
  Peace and Security	$6,009	$6,825	$6,259
  Governing Justly and Democratically	$24,330	$20,114	$12,813
  Investing in People	$150	$160	$0
  Economic Growth	$18,450	$11,751	$8,991

  The USG assisted over 70 civil society organizations to advocate effectively about political, economic, and social issues that consolidate Serbia’s democratic transition and contributed to the drafting and passage of 14 key laws.
• Political process assistance focused on critical questions of accountability and good governance, supporting political parties, local elected officials, civil society activists, and the National Assembly. The USG supported Parliament’s efforts to develop a communications plan and an improved website to increase the public’s access to information. Programs also supplied budgeting, accounting, and human resources software for the Assembly.

Investing in People

• USG assistance improved public outreach and educational opportunities throughout Serbia in FY 2011, influencing more than 5,000 young and emerging Serbian leaders through improved educational access and new opportunities to learn English. The USG-funded Academic Advising Center reached over 6,000 students through direct and online advising and testing.

Economic Growth

• With support from USG, Serbia amended its Law on Public Debt, making it possible for insurance companies and pension funds to purchase municipal bonds and for the public placement of municipal securities.
• USG assistance facilitated a new by-law on the conversion of property usage rights to ownership rights, removing a major impediment to construction and investment; and an improved Energy Law, which removes major barriers to investment
• To support Serbia’s key agriculture sector, USG programs continued to work on building a long-term forecasting model with the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture for use in policy analysis. The Ministry will use this model to analyze alternative policy scenarios, including World Trade Organization and European Union accession. Monthly training activities assisted the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture to improve its capacity to transfer technology and know-how to farmers through agricultural extension advisors.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Coordinator's Office Annual Reports
U.S. Embassy Website
www.foreignassistance.gov

*This fact sheet does not reflect Peace Corps funding or centrally managed or regional Foreign Operations funding that is not specifically budgeted for Serbia.