Financing of local self-governments with a focus on unconditional transfers from the budget of the Republic of Serbia

Local self-governments, as a form of exercising and realizing citizens' authority, have access to certain material resources that serve the purpose of performing their original and constitutionally guaranteed functions. As decentralized levels of state power, local self-governments regulate and execute legally assigned tasks in the interest of their citizens, for which they require appropriate financial resources. The methods of financing local self-governments in the Republic of Serbia are regulated by legislation and guaranteed by the Constitution. There are several methods for financing local self-governments, i.e., for securing funds for municipalities, cities, and the City of Belgrade. This paper focuses on various methods of financing local self-governments, with particular attention to non-earmarked transfers from the national budget of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the paper is to highlight the importance of national budget financing of local self-governments, as well as the need for its reform.