Following the release of the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), which ranked Serbia 116th out of 182 countries and territories, marking its worst performance in two decades, political tensions have flared.
Dušan Nikezić, Vice President of the Freedom and Justice Party (SSP), stated that President Aleksandar Vučić deserves “only the award for the most corrupt politician in Europe,” citing Serbia’s drop of 44 places over the past 10 years.
Reacting to these remarks, Serbian Parliament President Ana Brnabić pointed the finger at opposition leader Dragan Đilas, tweeting:
“That award goes to Đilas.”
Đilas, in turn, responded sharply:
“Ana Brnabić is again found to be ignorant. The corruption score for Serbia in 2012, the last year when Đilas was in power, was 42, ranking 72nd out of 182 countries. In 2025, the score dropped by a fifth to 33, placing us 116th globally. Anyone with an IQ above room temperature understands that Serbia is far more corrupt today than it was 13 years ago, according to Transparency International.”
This year, Serbia’s score of 33 is nine points below the global average and 29 points lower than the EU average, positioning the country just above Belarus (31), Turkey (31), and Russia (22) in Europe. Bosnia and Herzegovina (34) is the only neighboring country ranked higher.
At the top of the global CPI ranking are Denmark (89) and Finland (88), while Somalia (9) and South Sudan (9) occupy the lowest positions.
This exchange highlights the ongoing political debate in Serbia over accountability and corruption, as the country faces mounting pressure to improve governance and strengthen institutions.
