Serbia

Healthcare System

The healthcare system is managed by the National Health Insurance Fund (RFZO), which covers all citizens and permanent residents. All employees, self-employed persons, and pensioners must pay contributions to it. Contributions are based on a sliding scale, with wealthier members of society paying higher percentages of their income. Despite this, corruption still remains a serious problem due to low salaries, with many doctors demanding bribes in exchange for better treatment, although there is a major campaign against corruption from the government and NGOs. As of 2014, the expenditure on health care in Serbia was 10.37% of GDP in 2014, US$1,312 per capita. Also, as of 2014, Serbia had 308 doctors per 100,000 people (360 per 100,000 people was European Union (EU) average), 628 non-doctoral medical staff per 100,000 people (1,199 per 100,000 people was EU average). Although there is a trend of decreasing number of hospital beds per 100,000 people in Europe due to better efficiency and diagnostics, Serbia is among the leading countries in Europe with 552 hospital beds per 100,000 people. In terms of the availability of medical equipment, Serbia is slightly trailing behind the average of EU countries. The Government of Serbia is working with the World Bank in improving the quality and efficiency of Serbia’s healthcare system.

Currency

Dinar Serbia = 152,00 Rupiah Indonesia

Food

Serbian traditional cuisine contains a myriad of tastes and smells, much owing to the mixture of influences of various peoples who were just passing through or were living in this region. As is the case with the culture in general, this fusion of different influences resulted in originality, so that today a rich Serbian table offers unforgettable tastes that can only be enjoyed in Serbia.

Serbian cuisine is characterized by highly diverse, solid and spicy food, which can be roughly described as a mixture of Greek, Bulgarian, Turkish and Hungarian cuisine. The use of meat, dough, vegetables and dairy products is predominant in it.

Food preparation is a special part of the Serbian tradition and culture. In Serbian villages the kitchen was called “kuća” (house), while the center part of it was the hearth, which presented an important, cult place, next to which everyday-life took place and where the whole family gathered.

Serbian specialties you have to taste are: burek, gibanica, grilled meat, roast, Karađorđeva steak, cabbage rolls, goulash, đuveč (a type of a stew), moussaka, mućkalica (a mixture of different types of meat and vegetables in a form of a stew), čvarci (similar to pork rinds), kajmak (milk cream), pršuta (dry-cured ham, similar to Prosciutto), and sour milk.

Drinking coffee is a centuries-old tradition in Serbia, so you mustn’t miss home-made coffee accompanied by baklava, vanilice or Turkish delight, while the kind hosts will first offer you slatko and water in their homes.

A plum, considered a national fruit in Serbia, out of which a well-known rakia – Slivovitz is brewed, has, in a way, become one of the symbols of Serbia. You mustn’t leave Serbia without having at least one glass of it.

Transportation

Transport in Serbia includes transport by road, rail, water and air. Road transport incorporates a comprehensive network of major (i.e. state) and minor (i.e. municipal) roads. Rail transport is fairly developed, although dual track and electrification are not very common.

Exchange Conditions

Professional Exchange:  https://exchange.ifmsa.org/exchange/scope/explore/conditions/view/79