Transition in Serbia

The present article deals with the transition period in Serbia in the period from 2000 to the present. Institutional reforms and the endemic occurrence of corruption at all levels are concomitant phenomena of this period. The authors try to provide answers to certain questions concerning: the causes of weak institutions in the transition period of Serbia, the possibilities of strengthening the institutions, the explanation of corrupt behavior and the lack of legislation in the supporting segments of public and economic life. The general hypothesis suggests that weak institutions and corruption are in correlative relationship: weak institutions cause greater corruption, and vice versa, stronger institutions suppress corruption. In scientific terms, this article seeks to provide answers to basic questions about the relationship of institutions and corruption, to describe the status of the studied phenomena (corruption and weak institutions) in the transition period of Serbia and to offer solutions for the problem situation. The social relevance of this study would be: identification of the problems, pointing to their harmful, and even fatal, consequences to the society and its population and, thus, contributing to the overcoming the criticality of present situation.