Key message: From 2011-2019, there is a trend of increasing the earmarked budget funds of Serbia

Assessment: Every year, the Government of the Republic of Serbia adopts a Regulation on the allocation and use of funds for subventions of protected natural goods of national interest. The regulation stipulates the schedule, conditions and manner of using the funds for subventions of protected natural goods of national interest, which are determined by the Law on the Budget of the Republic of Serbia. Subventions relate to the financing of works and covering other costs, including salaries of managers, employees in positions defined by the Law on Nature Protection and this regulation, as well as the value of their own resources and goods in use. Managers  of  national  parks  and  protected  areas  of  national  interest  declared  by  the  act  of  the Government of the Republic of Serbia are entitled to use the mentioned funds. Subventions are granted to managers on the basis of a management programme for the protected area where the Ministry of Environmental Protection has given consent in accordance with the law. Allocation  of  subventions  is  made  at  the  request  for  allocation  for  protected  natural  assets  of  national  interest,  submitted by managers, not later than 20 days from the date of the effect of this regulation, and based on the notification from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Since 2011, when RSD 133,000,000 (USD 1 approx. RSD 105) has been allocated from the Republic of Serbia Budget to this day, when a total of RSD 230,000,000 has been set for 2019, it is clear that the increase in total amount of funds defined in the Republic of Serbia Budget is evident. The functions that the state supports with up to 80% of the values include preservation, maintenance and presentation of protected areas, visitor management, monitoring and improvement of protected areas, as well as spatial planning and sustainable use of natural resources.

Indicator Name: Change in the amount of funds allocated from the budget to Protected Areas

Institution/Author: Public Enterprise Srbijasume/Dejan Miletić

Use and interpretation:

Key question(s) which indicator helps to answer: What is the amount of funds from budget identified for co-financing protected areas of national interest?

Use of indicator: The funds from the budget relate to co-financing of activates, including salaries of employees and other expenses of the managers of national parks and areas whose protection was declared by the act of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. In this regard, the greater the amount of resources mean greater state support in the conservation and improvement of the status of protected areas.

Potential for aggregation:

Meaning of upward or downward trends („good or bad“): Changes in the amount of funds clearly indicate the willingness of the state to co-finance activities in the implementation of theManagement Program for Protected Areas. Since 2011, when 133,000,000 RSD has been defined from the RS Budget, to today, when a total of 230,000,000 RSD has been set for 2019, it is clear that the increase in the total amount of funds defined from the RS Budget is evident. Features supported by the state up to 80 percent of the value are the conservation, rangers services, maintenance and presentation of protected areas, visitor management, monitoring and improvement of protected areas, as well as spatial planning and sustainable use of natural resources, and others.

Possible reasons for upward or downward trends: The increase in of funds from the RS Budget is in direct correlation with the increase in the number and area of protected areas of national interest, which are declared by an act of the Government of the Republic of Serbia.

Implications for biodiversity management of change in the indicator: The amount of defined funds from the RS Budget directly influences the implementation of the Plans and Management Program for Protected Areas.

Units in which it is expressed: RSD/year

Description of source data: Regulation on the allocation and use of funds for co-finansing of protected natural areas of national interest

Calculation procedure: Total amount of funds for co-finansing of protected natural areas of national interest

Most effective forms of presentation: Graph

Limits to userfelness and accuracy: none

Updating the indicator: Once a year according to Regulation and competition for subsidies for the implementation of the Management Program for protected areas.

Closely related indicators: Change in the amount of funds allocated from the compensation for use of Protected Areas Monitoring and improving the status of protected areas

Additional information and comments: Every year the Government of the Republic of Serbia announces a Regulation on the allocation and use of funds for co-financing of protected natural areas of national interest. Regulation are set schedule, conditions and manner of using the funds for co-financing of protected natural areas of national interest, which are determined by the Law on Budget of the Republic of Serbia. Subsidies are related to the financing of works and other expenses, including salaries of managers employees defined by the Nature Protection Act and this regulation. The right to use subsidies have managers of national parks and protected areas of national interest declared by the act of the Government of the Republic of Serbia. Subsidies are granted to managers on the basis of a Management programs for protected areas, on which the Ministry of Environmental Protection give approval in accordance with the law. The allocation of subsidies are made on request for allocation of subsidies for protected natural areas of national interest, submitted by managers of protected areas, not later than within 20 days from the date of entry into force of this Regulation, based on the notification from the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Since 2011, when 133,000,000 RSD has been defined from the RS Budget, to today, when a total of 230,000,000 RSD has been set for 2019, it is clear that the increase in the total amount of funds defined from the RS Budget is evident. Features supported by the state up to 80 percent of the value are the conservation, rangers services, maintenance and presentation of protected areas, visitor management, monitoring and improvement of protected areas, as well as spatial planning and sustainable use of natural resources, and others.

Table: Change in state budget allocations for Protected Areas