After a third round of negotiations between unions, employers, and the Serbian Ministry of Finance, no agreement was reached on the minimum wage for 2026.
Unions had proposed raising the hourly rate from 308 to 400 dinars, aiming for a minimum monthly wage of around 70,000 dinars (≈€600) from January 1. They also requested simultaneous talks on public sector salaries.
The Ministry of Finance indicated public sector wages could rise by 4–6% next year, which unions say is below the proposed minimum wage increase. Employees currently earning minimum wage will see a 9.4% increase from October and 10.1% from January 2026.
Employers maintain that the planned October increase is sufficient for next year but are open to following the state’s proposal if accompanied by tax exemptions. The Ministry also plans to raise the tax-free portion of wages by 20.4%, to around 34,200 dinars.
The current minimum wage will increase from €450 to €500 (308 to 337 dinars per hour) starting October 1, while the proposed 2026 minimum would reach €550 (≈64,446 dinars) per month.
