Facebook Pixel Code

Institutional Barometer 3.0: HOW EFFECTIVELY INSTITUTIONS DO THEIR JOB?

The prEUgovor coalition presented “Institutional Barometer 3.0”, a new independent assessment of the effectiveness of institutions in the implementation of policies in the areas covered by chapters 23 and 24 of the accession negotiations between Serbia and the European Union, on April 20, at the Metropol Palace Hotel in Belgrade.

A methodology has been devised to measure the effectiveness of the following institutions: Anticorruption Agency, Internal Control Department of the Ministry of the Interior, Commissariat for Refugees and Migrations, Centre for Human Trafficking Victims Protection, Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection.

The work of institutions that have competence in chapters 23 and 24 were analyzed by applying a unique methodology for assessing the effectiveness of three dimensions of institutional functioning: internal efficiency, institutional connectivity and legitimacy of the institution.

This is the third edition of the Institutional Barometer and represents a pioneering attempt by the prEUgovor coalition to monitor the measurable effects of reforms in the European integration process of the Republic of Serbia on the ground. At the conference, the authors presented the research results and discussed them with representatives of the analyzed institutions.


ASTRA – Anti-trafficking Action analyzed the institution’s work directly connected to its work, the Center for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking. The work of this institution is being analyzed for the third time. The Center filled out a questionnaire for this edition, but additional answers and interpretations were not received during the preparatory period. The institution’s responsiveness and cooperation during the analysis of the institution’s position in the system has, in principle, progressed.

Representatives of ASTRA, in their review of the work of this institution, drew attention to the fact that the Center for the Protection of Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings, although it performs a key role in this area, still functions based on the Regulation on the Network of Social Protection Institutions (“Official Gazette” 16/2012 dated 07. 03. 2012), i.e. the Center for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking was established as an independent institution of social protection on April 13, 2012, by the Decision of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. That is why the positioning of the Center in the Draft of the new Law on Social Protection is crucial at this moment. The last publicly available version of this Draft Law contains several disputed solutions related to the Center.

First, as one of the tasks of the Center, the determination of the status of victims of human trafficking is mentioned, while in another place it is stated that the Center performs the “identification” of victims. It would be in the best interest of the victims to have a solution according to which the Center carries out the identification procedure in order to collect the data needed to determine the status of the victim of human trafficking.

Second, the Draft retains the disputed provision, according to which the Center for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking issues a finding and opinion. The consequence of this is that persons who have not been identified as victims of human trafficking cannot appeal this decision. ASTRA dealt with this problem in detail in its publication Challenges of recognition of the status of human trafficking victims in the Republic of Serbia.

In the observed period, the number of professional workers at the Center remained unchanged, and only four were hired. By looking at the Center’s Annual Report for 2021, it can be concluded that professional workers are overloaded with their basic tasks and the number of cases annually. All additional activities go to the detriment of the institution’s core activity.


You can find a detailed analysis of the work of the Center for the Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking and other insights in the new Institutional Barometer HERE!

Based on these insights, ASTRA has given a number of recommendations in this edition for improving the work of this institution.

Recommendations (summary)

  1. Improve the availability, adequacy and transparency of data.
  2. Improve consistency in reporting so that data obtained from publicly available documents are comparable. The method of reporting is changed every year.
  3. Hire more professionals. The Center should plan and provide sufficient funds to provide direct support to victims and ensure the continuous functioning of all aspects of the work (going to the field throughout the year, more comprehensive and frequent direct support to victims).
  4. To improve the practical application of indicators during identification. Before that, the indicators should be officially adopted according to the appropriate procedure.
  5. Develop and apply procedures for assessing user satisfaction and periodically conduct independent external evaluations.
  6. Develop a clear appeals procedure, namely: an appeals procedure for the act that decides on the status of a victim of human trafficking, as well as the possibility of filing a complaint against the work of a professional worker of the Center who is available to users and to inform each of them of this actions.
  7. Improve and expand cooperation with civil society organizations that provide services to victims to offer victims as comprehensive a support program as possible.
  8. Ensure that each victim receives a clear, precise and concise overview of the existing services and organizations available to them in writing.
  9. Intensify the promotion of the Center as a coordinating institution in the fight against human trafficking, and strengthen the inclusion, support and improvement of transparent cooperation with actors with many years of experience in this field.
  10. Develop and strengthen operational contacts with related institutions and competent institutions in Southeast Europe but also beyond.
Scroll to Top