Marko Vucetić, Director of the Serbian IT Association: From Turbulence to Stabilization - How to Keep the IT Sector in Serbia Competitive?

We talked about the market situation with Marko Vučetić, director of the Serbian IT Association, who points out that the key to stability and further development of the sector is investment in talent, especially young developers, as well as creating a predictable business environment. According to him, our IT experts are the true treasure of the country, because they not only start companies with their knowledge, experience and innovation, but also set new standards on the labor market, like flexible work and additional benefits. At the same time, a stable tax system enables the attraction of foreign investments and long-term planning, which gives Serbia the opportunity to position itself as a competitive IT destination in the region and beyond.

- I would say that the current situation is slightly better, especially when looking at employment websites. In 2023, employment was drastically reduced compared to 2022, the number of ads fell by 50% in 2023. Then, in 2024, in comparison to 2023, the drop was another 30%. In the course of 2025, we also note a decrease, but significantly smaller, up to 5%. It`s not dramatic. At the global level as well, statistics show a slight increase in employment. After a decrease in the number of ads in 2023, minimal growth is recorded in 2024, but that trend cannot quickly return to the level of 2021 when there were many ads.

- The first challenge is AI. Companies are reallocating budgets to new AI teams and projects, as well as on data analytics and cyber security, which has become a serious topic due to the increase in cyber attacks in recent years. And the biggest challenge of the domestic market is to remain price competitive, which enables new projects, employment and attraction of new companies. Our competitors now are countries such as Poland, Romania and Bulgaria. Globally, many countries are implementing systems that attract IT companies, and our association is working to ensure that the market of Serbia remains affordable and attractive for new investments.

- These changes have certainly affected IT companies and they have spoiled the image of the predictable tax system we must insist on. They also increased the cost of labor, which is very important to explain in the community. Therefore, we do not insist on reducing the wages of employees, on the contrary, we want wages to rise. But at the same time we have to establish a stable and competitive system, which can compete with other countries. We cannot be more expensive than Poland, which is a member of the European Union, well positioned and has quality talents. We need to know where we stand in the market, and consistently work in that position and generate income and profit based on that.

I like to say that our developers are the true treasure of this state - with their knowledge, experience and what they do, they make a huge contribution. They actually introduced some new trends to the labor market, such as working from home, additional benefits and flexibility, which then began to be adopted by other industries.

- I have to admit that I don`t have precise statistics - we didn`t do research, but we notice that a lot of investment is being made. This must certainly be a priority, both through the association and within the companies themselves, because adapting to AI is key, not only for individuals, but also for companies themselves. The more ready they are to work with AI tools and implement them in systems, the more competitive they will be in the market.

- For further development of the IT sector, two things are most important: investment in talent, especially young developers, and a predictable tax system. Foreign investors must have clear documentation for the next five years in order to be able to plan their business. A predictable system is key to Serbia`s competitiveness in the global battle for large corporations. We have to make progress on that front, and we invest significant effort in this, not only me as the director of the Association, but also our Board of Directors and all members involved in working groups.