Detailed analysis of air quality in the Republic of Serbia for 2024 reveals alarming exposure levels and legal non-compliance
An in-depth analysis of the number of days in 2024 in which the legal annual limit of 35 days for PM10 particles was exceeded highlights the serious degree of air pollution affecting the population. The data point to continuous breaches of legal provisions and a persistent failure to implement effective public health protections.
In Popovac, a settlement in eastern Serbia, a total of 174 days with PM10 levels above the legal limit were recorded—representing an excess of 497%, or roughly every other day of the year. Similar conditions were reported in several other cities:
- Valjevo: 132 days (377%)
- Novi Pazar: 128 days (366%)
- Užice: 117 days (334%)
- Kosjerić: 113 days (323%)
A review of government responses conducted by RERI reveals that most of the planned measures outlined in the Air Protection Program Action Plan (2022–2030) were not implemented within the prescribed deadlines. This Program, which stipulates concrete actions, responsible institutions, and timelines, has not yielded results due to poor implementation. Although the adoption of a new Law on Air Protection was planned for the end of 2024, it was not enacted, rendering key measures inapplicable. Ministries continue to delay their activities, citing the absence of a legal framework, while the government prolongs deadlines through the National Programme for the Adoption of the EU Acquis (NPAA). This practice undermines the planning system and leaves the Program without any operational effect in reducing pollution.
Moreover, the new Law on Air Protection remains unharmonized with Directive (EU) 2024/2881 of the European Parliament and the Council of 23 October 2024 on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe. As a result, Serbia remains:
- without binding targets to reduce pollutant concentrations by 2030;
- without mandatory clean-up roadmaps for the most polluted zones;
- without a publicly accessible and comprehensive air quality monitoring system;
- without guarantees of citizens’ rights to legal protection and compensation in case of health impairment;
- without deterrent and proportionate penalties for polluters;
- and out of alignment with Chapter 27 – Environment, which governs EU accession obligations.
The Law on Health Documentation and Records requires that all air pollution data be electronically available and verified by accredited laboratories. Yet in Niš, this system is non-functional. The city stands as an example of institutional collapse, with non-existent data sharing, minimal monitoring, and a completely unimplemented 2024 local air quality plan. This means that nearly a quarter of a million people are breathing air of unknown composition on a daily basis, with no guarantees that what they inhale is not harmful. Moreover, instead of ten measuring stations, air quality is now monitored at only two locations, and the City Administration of Niš has admitted that the 2024 Air Quality Control Program was not implemented because no public procurement was initiated to contract a laboratory.
According to the latest report by the European Environment Agency (2024), average annual concentrations of PM2.5 in Serbia were nearly four times above the WHO guidelines, accounting for over 10,000 air pollution-related deaths and placing Serbia among the worst-performing countries in Europe.
The Republic of Serbia must recognize that combating air pollution is no longer a sectoral issue but a fundamental challenge for public health, social justice, sustainability, and community safety. At a time when Europe clearly defines air pollution as a public health priority, Serbia continues to breathe in a legal vacuum, lacking both protection mechanisms and the political will to enact change. The new EU Air Quality Directive (2024) sets unequivocal standards: by 2030, both EU Member States and candidate countries must adopt stricter limits for PM2.5, PM10, and NO₂, establish mandatory clean-up roadmaps, strengthen access to justice, and ensure transparency of air quality data. At present, Serbia is unprepared—legally, institutionally, and politically—to meet these obligations.
In light of the alarming air pollution data, the Republic of Serbia must:
- urgently adopt a reformed legal framework in line with Directive (EU) 2024/2881;
- establish an independent oversight body to monitor air policy implementation;
- integrate health risk assessment into local environmental plans;
- and ensure digital transparency in air quality monitoring systems.
Public health must no longer be collateral damage of slow and irresponsible policymaking.
Download the full report:
“Air Quality Status Analysis in the Republic of Serbia for 2024”