The online survey (March 2015; a convenience sample of 108 respondents) reveals a bleak picture of trust in the judiciary and equality before the law: even when “all the facts are on their side,” an overwhelming majority of respondents do not believe they would win a court case against the most powerful state officials.
The strongest distrust is linked to the very top of the executive branch. Only 3.7% of respondents believe they would win a case against the President of Serbia, while 83.3% think they would lose. A similar result appears for the Prime Minister: just 3.7% say “yes,” and 85.2% say “no.” Ministers fare no better: against the Minister of Justice and the Minister of the Interior, only 5.6% believe they would win, while over 82% believe they would lose. In respondents’ eyes, political power clearly translates into legal advantage.
When the focus shifts from the “top” to other actors, the picture is more nuanced but still grim. Against an MP from the ruling coalition, 10.2% believe they would win, while 73.2% do not. For an opposition MP, trust is noticeably higher: 19.4% think they would win, but a majority (51.9%) still do not believe in such an outcome, with a high share of undecided respondents (28.7%). This suggests that citizens see “political protection” as the key obstacle, rather than the court procedure itself.
The paradox continues when institutions that should guarantee legality are considered. Only 7.4% believe they would win against a judge, while 77.8% do not; against a public prosecutor, 6.5% say “yes,” while 76.9% believe they would lose. In other words, the survey points to a feeling that justice is not determined only by evidence, but also by the status of the parties involved.
The greatest optimism appears in disputes with large systems and companies, but even there distrust dominates. Against Pošta Srbije, 22.2% believe they would win; against Telekom, also 22.2%; and against a foreign company, 22.2%. RTS stands at 20.4%, and Elektrodistribucija at 19.4%. Still, in all these cases, half or more of respondents say “no,” with a high share of “not sure,” reflecting a general sense of legal insecurity.
The sample is majority female (58.3%), with an average age around 40 (median 40). By occupation, the largest groups are the unemployed (23.4%) and students (13.1%). One participant’s comment offers a glimmer of hope: “Justice is slow but achievable… Strasbourg, and there are no privileged,” with the message that “will, money, and a legal team” are needed. That sentence captures the survey’s finding: citizens do not believe in equality before domestic institutions—unless they can pay for the fight and take the case “one level higher.”
Methodological note: online survey (N=108); the results are indicative for the participating internet audience and do not constitute a representative sample of Serbia.