Year-on-year inflation in Serbia continues to slow down, and although it has now dropped from 14.8 to 13.7 percent, experts warn that the end of the turbulent period is not yet in sight, that the next year will also be burdened by inflationary pressure, and that, by itself, team, citizens continue to feel all this in their wallets. According to the latest report of the Republic Institute of Statistics, prices continued to rise in the month behind us, and when it comes to personal consumption products and services in Serbia, they increased in June by an average of 0.7 percent compared to May this year. .
At the annual level, however, the figures are more expressive. In comparison with June last year, that is, in the past year, some prices have increased by more than 40 percent, and above all there are vegetables, which have risen in price on an annual basis by 40.4 percent. It is followed by milk, cheese and eggs, which are 31.4 percent more expensive on average, while meat has gone up by 15.9 percent and fruit by 14.4 percent.
All these food categories have become more expensive on a monthly basis, that is, we paid a little less for all of them in May this year than in June. On the other hand, electricity, gas and other fuels went up in price by 24.4 percent from last June to June this year, but on a monthly basis they went down by 0.1 percent.
What made everything more expensive and by how much?
According to the data of the Republic Institute of Statistics, in the past year, all items on the list have become more expensive, with the exception of transport, which, compared to June last year, has become cheaper by an average of 0.2 percent. For example, the price of fish increased by 16.7 percent in 12 months, while the price of bread and cereals increased by 16.6 percent on an annual basis. Oils and fats fell by 15.8 percent in a year, while the price of “other food products” jumped by 26.1 percent in a year.
Sugar, jam, honey and chocolate are 16.7 percent more expensive, while beer is 18.6 percent more expensive, and wine is 8.5 percent more expensive. Tobacco prices rose by 5.6 percent compared to June last year.
Accommodation services in hotels are also more expensive, by 38.8 percent. Rents have risen by 21 percent from last year to this June. Shoe repair is also more expensive – by 25.2 percent year-on-year. Medical services rose in price by 15.9 percent compared to July last year. And electricity, gas and other fuels rose in price by 24.4 percent from last June to June this year.
This trend, albeit at a slower pace, continued in June, and as announced by RZS, consumer prices increased by 6.0 percent on average compared to December. Observed by the main groups of products and services classified according to the purpose of consumption, in June compared to the previous month, the prices of recreation and culture increased by 2.5 percent, food and non-alcoholic beverages by 1.3 percent, clothing and footwear, by 1.0 percent, restaurant and hotel services, 0.8 percent.
In the groups health and equipment for the apartment and current maintenance, a price increase of 0.7 percent was recorded, in the case of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 0.4 percent, and in transport, 0.2 percent. Prices fell by 0.3 percent for housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, as well as by 0.1 percent for communications.
Interlocutors of Euronews Serbia point out that the data shows that inflation is on the decline, and that it is slowing down, but they also believe that this dynamic is not sufficient and that this calls into question the goal set by the financial authorities, which is that at the end of the year inflation will be eight percent.
