IMF maintains Serbia's 2% 2023 GDP growth f'cast

Serbia's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow by 3% next year, the IMF said in the latest edition of its World Economic Outlook report.

The latest IMF forecast is in line with the latest World Bank forecast of 2% economic growth in Serbia this year.

Last year, Serbia's economic output expanded by an estimated 2.3%.

Serbia's average consumer price inflation is seen edging up to 12.4% in 2023 from 12% last year, before slowing to 5.3% in 2024, IMF said.

The country's current account deficit is projected to fall to 2.3% of GDP in 2023 from 6.9% in 2022. In 2024 the current account deficit is expected to rise to 3.2% of GDP.

The IMF projects that the GDP of the Emerging and Developing Europe area will grow to 2.4% in 2023, after expanding by 0.8% last year, before slowing to 2.2% in 2024. The region includes Bosnia, Romania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro and North Macedonia.