The National Bank of Serbia published first-quarter 2026 data on loan repayment relief for borrowers facing difficult life circumstances. Banks granted relief for 1,825 of the 2,321 loan accounts covered by processed borrower requests, an approval rate of 79%, with outstanding debt of RSD 1.9 billion. Lenders also initiated relief for another 913 accounts with almost RSD 874 million in outstanding debt after identifying early signs of repayment difficulty. Cash loans represented 76% of resolved borrower requests, while housing loans accounted for 3%, with relief granted in 81.5% of housing loan cases. Job loss was cited in 53.7% of requests and a significant income reduction in 19.2%. The most common relief involved extending repayment periods, sometimes combined with lower interest rates, payment deferrals or changes to the loan agreement. Other measures included temporary payment suspensions without interest accruing on due but unpaid liabilities and deferral of the total outstanding debt. The National Bank of Serbia will continue monitoring implementation through its regular supervisory activities, require identified irregularities to be remedied and impose sanctions where appropriate. It will also continue publishing implementation results.
National Bank of Serbia2026-07-22
National Bank of Serbia reports 79% approval rate for borrower-requested loan relief, plus 913 lender-initiated cases
The National Bank of Serbia reported that banks approved relief for 79% of borrower-requested loan accounts processed in the first quarter of 2026, covering RSD 1.9 billion in outstanding debt. Lenders initiated relief for another 913 accounts after identifying early repayment difficulties. Repayment-period extensions were the most common measure.