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Economist Slams Serbian President's Pre-Election Cash Handout Plan
🇷🇸 Serbia /Elections & Politics

Economist Slams Serbian President's Pre-Election Cash Handout Plan

From N1 Serbia · () Serbian

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • An economist criticizes Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's plan to give one-time cash payments to all adult citizens.
  • Economist Aleksandar Stevanović calls the plan "expensive political courtship" before elections, lacking economic justification.
  • Stevanović argues the money would be better spent on private investments and that the state should focus on citizens truly unable to care for themselves.

Economist Aleksandar Stevanović has strongly criticized Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić's recent announcement regarding a potential one-time cash payment to all adult citizens. Stevanović described the plan as "expensive political courtship" ahead of upcoming elections, arguing it lacks any sound economic basis.

Such a funding model is virtually unknown.

— Aleksandar StevanovićCommenting on the president's claim that the cash payment would not come from the budget.

President Vučić suggested the payment would not be funded from the state budget, a claim Stevanović finds perplexing. The economist stated that such a funding model is virtually unknown and questioned the necessity of providing financial aid to all citizens, asking, "Is it possible that all of us in Serbia are financially endangered?" He believes this sends a misleading message about the country's economic stability.

Is it possible that all of us in Serbia are financially endangered?

— Aleksandar StevanovićQuestioning the rationale for providing universal financial aid.

Stevanović argued that the funds allocated for such a handout would be more effectively utilized through private investments, allowing citizens to spend the money in ways they deem most beneficial. He criticized the government's role as an unnecessary intermediary that excessively taxes or borrows funds only to distribute a portion back to citizens regardless of their financial situation.

We have an unnecessary intermediary who over-taxes or over-borrows, and then gives something back to citizens regardless of their financial situation.

— Aleksandar StevanovićCriticizing the government's role in the distribution of funds.

The economist emphasized that state resources should be directed towards supporting citizens who are genuinely unable to support themselves, rather than implementing a blanket payment. He asserted that the measure holds no real economic sense beyond a costly attempt to gain favor with a broad electorate, labeling it a "completely missed measure" that is more political than economic. Stevanović concluded that such a policy is detrimental, suggesting that money is being "thrown away" without providing any significant benefit to individuals' lives.

This is a measure that makes no sense, other than expensive courtship of the widest groups. From that perspective, the measure is completely missed.

— Aleksandar StevanovićDescribing the economic and political implications of the proposed cash handout.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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