The G17 Institute is an independent NGO based in Belgrade, which aims to address societal and economic challenges in Yugoslavia within a framework of market-oriented democratic reform and strengthening of civil society. Led by CEO Milko Stimac and Deputy Chief Executive Suzana Mrgic, the G-17 Institute brings together economists and experts from other fields of social science, whose goals are the improvement and practical implementation of open-market economic policies through democratic society and the rule of law. The G-17 Institute is working to address and advocate for the key economic reform challenges highlighted by its predecessor, Group 17. The G-17 Institute is fully independent from the G17 Plus (which retains a broad-based quasi-political focus), and marks the return of the G17 to its roots in policy development and advocacy.

Project Information

Addressing the Informal Sector in Serbia The inefficient and corrupt state institutions from communism and the Milosevic era still stand in the way of entrepreneurship and market-oriented democratic growth in Serbia in that they prevent honest businessmen from accessing much needed resources (economic, legal, political). The prohibitive costs of doing business in a free and fair manner are directly related to this, in that excessive government registration procedures, a punitive level of taxation, and duplicative regulatory activities continue to force entrepreneurs to operate in the informal economy in Serbia. The G-17 Institute will address these issues through a comprehensive research and advocacy program, which builds on a current survey of barriers to entry in the local economy. Dissemination of the survey results and an international conference will help increase the awareness of the business community and government policy-makers on the benefits of a healthy formal sector. The conference is also expected to result in an action program to phase out excessive state/administrative intervention at all levels of government and demonstrate the relationship to a vibrant civil society and the process of democratization.

G 17 Institute
Ms. Suzana Mrgic
10 Knez Mihaijlova
Belgrade
Yugoslavia 11000

Tel: (381-11) 3346 086
Fax: 381-11) 3346 172
Email: institut@g17plus.org.yu