The recently established Board for the Study of the Population at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) convened its inaugural panel, titled Effective Responses to the Demographic Crisis, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, in the SASA Grand Hall. Noteworthy, all panelists, including the chairman and moderator, are members of the Association of Demographers of Serbia.
The event served to introduce the Board and share recent research findings pertinent to public policy development concerning population issues. The discussion focused on four primary elements of the demographic crisis: parenting challenges, premature mortality, migration management, and population aging. Each topic was addressed through concise presentations by individual panelists.
Professor Aleksandar Knežević, who leads the Department of Demography at the Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade and is part of the SASA Board for the Study of Population, chaired the panel. After welcoming participants, he introduced Professor Mirjana Rašević, president of the SASA Board for the Study of Population. In her opening remarks, Professor Rašević reflected on the Board’s origins, founded in 1982 by renowned demographer Academician Miloš Macura, and its significant influence on demographic science and policy in Serbia. She noted that the Board’s new members aim to pursue these high standards amid today’s evolving circumstances.
During her presentation, Professor Rašević identified significant limitations in Serbia’s traditional model of parenting support and outlined strategies for more effective responses. Drawing on cohort fertility data from the 2022 Census, she noted a recent decline in completed fertility rates following a period of stability. Professor Rašević emphasized the importance of comprehensive policy measures—addressing economic costs, supporting modern family structures, facilitating work-life balance, and enhancing reproductive health—in supporting parental decisions. She advocated for realistic policy objectives that reflect contemporary values and generational perspectives, prioritizing individuals’ freedom of choice regarding family size. Furthermore, she underscored the necessity of integrating health, economic, social, and employment policies to indirectly support family formation and growth.
Dr. Marko Galjak, Research Associate at the Center for Demographic Research, Institute of Social Sciences, delivered a succinct overview of premature mortality, describing it as an under-recognized issue in Serbia. Dr. Galjak asserted that one in four deaths in Serbia is preventable, noting with particular concern that half of the potential years of life lost occur among individuals under 58, many of whom are of reproductive age. He critiqued the prevailing emphasis on prenatal financial support, estimating such expenditures at nearly half a billion euros annually, and suggested that reallocating resources toward healthcare infrastructure, public health campaigns, medical staffing, and treatment for children would yield more substantial outcomes.
Dr. Vladimir Nikitović, president of the Association of Demographers of Serbia and Board member, questioned the feasibility of migration management. Referencing contemporary research, he differentiated between socioeconomic drivers of migration and common misinterpretations rooted in demographic determinism. Nikitović critiqued inaccurate data and misconceptions about migration’s scale and role in offsetting aging populations, contending that effective policy must align with economic and social realities rather than purely demographic concerns. He highlighted the contradiction between political desires for migration control and economic needs for labor, concluding that until the status of low-skilled workers improves, migration-related challenges will persist.
Professor Gordana Matković, from the FEFA faculty and Board member, addressed population aging as a multifaceted challenge necessitating a comprehensive approach. She compared Serbia’s situation unfavorably to the EU and highlighted findings from national transfer accounts indicating that, in Serbia, an individual’s surplus-generating period lasts just 31 years—insufficient for supporting both themselves and dependent groups. Citing little potential for a demographic dividend, she stressed the importance of investing in education, expanding the workforce, and integrating systems for long-term care, pensions, healthcare, and protection of the elderly.
The session concluded with over an hour of lively discussion among demographers, researchers, decision makers, and UN agency experts, moderated by Professor Daniela Arsenović, vice-president of the Association of Demographers of Serbia and Board member. The conversation focused on exchanging ideas and critically evaluating possible responses to the demographic crisis.
Source of photos and videos: SASA
Published on October 27, 2025.
