Marriages and divorces

Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia

Unit for Vital Statistics and Migration

Gordana Jordanovski

Statistician

Milana Rakica 5, Belgrade

gordana.jordanovski@stat.gov.rs

+381112412590

+381112412922 ext. 270

+381112412590

• the concluded marriage - municipality/foreign country where marriage is registered, date of marriage conclusion, the existence of concensual unit before this marriage;
• groom and bride-previous marriage status, marriage in order, date of birth, citizenship, place of birth (foreign country of birth), nationality, highest educational attainment, economic activity and occupation of spouses;

The Annual survey on divorces includes data on:

In the surveys on concluded and divorced marriages are used: the List of settlements in the Republic of Serbia (available on the SORS web site) and International Standard Classification of Occupations dating from 2008 (ISCO-2008).

The concept of usual resident population applied in the 2011 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings was implemented in the Annual survey on concluded marriages and the Annual survey on divorces. According to this concept, a person is considered as an usual resident of the place where he/she spends most of his time, that is, day/night vacations, regardless of where he/she has a registered place of residence, with a duration of presence in or absence from the country: in total are also included citizens of the Republic of Serbia with absence abroad less than a year and foreign citizens who are present for more than a year in the Republic of Serbia.

Marriage is a law regulated community of life of a woman and a man (Family Law - Official Gazette of RS, No.18/2005, 72/2011 other law and 6/2015).

Divorce is a form of termination of marriage in accordance with the provisions of the Family Law - Official Gazette RS, No. 18/2005, 72/2011 other law and 6/2015.

Age of spouses is expressed in their whole living years, as the time difference between the date of birth of a person and the date of the event (marriage/divorce). From this feature, the average age of spouses at the time of marriage conclusion, the average age of spouses at the time of the first marriage conclusion are calculated in the survey on concluded marraiges and the average age of spouses at the tme of divorce are calculated in the survey on divorces (arithmetic mean).

Nationality. The data on ethnic affiliation of spouses are provided according to their free declaration. The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia envisages for the citizens the freedom of expression of ethnic affiliation and the option not to declare their national and ethnic affiliation.  The distribution of data by this feature was carried out in accordance with the classification of ethnic affiliation applied in the 2011 Census of population.

Educational attainment. This means the highest educational level attained by accomplishing certain schooling, regardless whether obtained by graduating from regular school or school replacing regular, i.e. whether obtained by passing examinations in regular school or by completing certain courses of regular schooling within the formal educational system. The data on educational attainment are expressed by following categories: no formal education, incomplete primary school (1–3 grades of primary school and 4–7 grades of primary school), primary school, secondary school, (vocational) specialization after secondary school, higher school/college, university faculty/basic academic graduation, Master/MSc and PhD holders.   

Economic Activity. The data on economic activity for spouses are expressed aggregated according to the following categories: person performing job paid in money or in kind or working as unpaid/supporting family worker in shop owned by household member or at family holding, person actively seeking job or trying to start private business, pensioner, person performing only housework at own household, pupil/student, person with income from real property, and other.

Occupation. By this feature aggregated are economically active persons by type of job they perform in order to earn means of sustenance. In data processing all occupations were categorized in compliance with the classification of occupations applied for 2011 Census of population.

Duration of marriage. In the statistics of divorced marriages, the duration of marriage is derived feature expressed in the years of duration of legal marriage. The number of years of duration of (divorced) marriage is calculated as the difference between the date of divorce and the date of marriage conclusion.

The number of dependent children born in this marriage. In the statistics of divorced marriages, the number of dependent children born in this marriage (the divorced marriage) includes children of divorced parents who do not have their own income for their support, regardless of where these children are and regardless of whether these children are supported by parents or someone else. Divorced marriages are grouped according to whom the children are assigned by the following five groups: husband, wife, husband and wife, other persons or institution.

Crude marriage rate: the ratio of the number of marriages during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

Crude divorce rate: the ratio of the number of divorces during the year to the average population in that year. The value is expressed per 1000 inhabitants.

Divorces per 1000 marriages: the number of divorces per 1000 concluded marriages in a given year.

Basic statistical units are concluded and divorced marriage.

Total population defined as usual resident population which is aged 16 and over, that represents the legal limit for the conclusion of marrage or divorce.

European level: EXT_EU28

National level: The Republic of Serbia (the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia does not have data for the AP Kosovo and Metohija since 1998, so they are not included in the coverage of the Republic of Serbia (total) data), also other lower teritorial levels as regions, areas and municipalities.

The availability of detailed data on concluded marriages for the territory of the Republic of Serbia has begun since 1950, while the detailed data on divorces in the Republic of Serbia have been available since 1952. To a small extent the comparability of data was influenced, during available time period, by the harmonization of the vital statistics methodology with applied concepts and definitions in population censuses (2002 and 2011). Also, the unavailability of data for the territory of the AP Kosovo and Metohija since 1998 prevent the comparability of some certain data from these surveys with the data from previous years (for the period prior to 1998, no conversion can be made).

Not applicable.

Timeframe of the basic stages in conducting the survey on concluded and divorced marriages:

1. Preparation and printing of forms: September - November,

2. Sending forms to regional departments by November 31 (reporting units by December 31),

3. Reporting units send fulfilled forms to the SORS, every 3rd of the month (monthly collecting),

4. Checking and sending the correct data in electronic form by regional departments to the SORS by April 1,

5. Logical and computational control, tabulation and production of results (on annual basis), publication of results in the SORS until June 30th.

The collection of data for the Annual survey on concluded marriages and the Annual survey on divorces is done on a monthly basis. As data collection instruments, the following forms are used:

• Statistical form on concluded marriage - DEM-3 and
• Statistical form on divorced marriage - RB -1.

The data are partially taken from the records of the municipal registry offices and from the Basic courts (reporting method), and additionally for the collection of part of the data from the above forms, the method of interviewing is used in the mentioned services (where, based on the statements of persons, are received information on the highest educational attainment, economic activity, the presence/absence from the country, the existence of an consensual unit before marriage).

Аdditionaly, the Monthly survey on vital statistics (the form DEM-5) collects data on registered cases of marriage conclusion or divorce according to the place of registration (on the basis of the forms DEM-3 and RB-1). These data are colleceted every 15th of the month and published as preliminary results.

In the Annual survey on concluded marriages and the Annual survey on divorces, manual and automatic validation of data completeness is performed. Also, data validation (in both surveys) is based on the results of the previous year.

Controlled data entry and processing is done in the IST program (developed in the SORS), where logical control and correction of entered data аrе performed. Unknown at certain key data is solved by imputation of data in accordance with the recommendations and in line with the acceptable percentage for unknown value in certain features (age, etc.).

Based on the results of the Population estimates (mid-year population) it is done the calculation of the crude marriage rate and the crude divorce rate.

Not applicable.

The quality management system of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS) relies on the Mission and Vision of Official Statistics of the Republic of Serbia, the European Statistics Code of Practice (CoP) and the Total Quality Management (TQM) principles, which are common Quality Framework of the European Statistical System (ESS).

The principles of the quality policy of the SORS are: customer orientation, quality of statistical processes and products, strengthening cooperation with data providers and professional development and employee satisfaction.

Reporting the quality of statistical products: The plan is to establish a system for regular monitoring of the quality of statistical products, on the basis of regular reporting, as well as taking appropriate measures to improve their quality. The basic source of product quality information will be quality reports, which include information on quality indicators. The production of up-to-date quality reports will be provided through the RZSMETA system. Also, reporting on the quality of the statistical proces will be provided through the application of the General Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM), as a standard tool that describes and defines a set of business processes required for the production of official statistics, provides a standard framework and harmonized terminology. This enables the modernization of statistical production processes, the exchange of methods and components, and the integration of data and metadata standards, as a template for process documentation, for the harmonization of statistical computer infrastructure, as well as for providing a framework for assessing and improving the quality of the process.

Demographic statistics on the size and structure of population are used in a wide range of economic and social researches and various policy areas, having in mind that demographic trends and events have a strong impact on the society. In this sense, data users are different ministries, local self-governments, research and education institutions, individual researchers, students, journalists and others.

A general user satisfaction survey is conducted every two years and the results are available on the SORS website (latest results for 2017). Average overall score for 2017 is 4.10. 

No user' satisfaction surveys have been carried out at the level of surveys on concluded and divorced marriages. 

Statistical surveys on concluded marriages and divorces are in line with the provisions of the Family Law of the Republic of Serbia (Official Gazette of RS, No. 18/2005, 72/2011 - other law and 6/2015). 

Statistical surveys on concluded marriages and divorces are in line with the EU regulation No1260/2013 on European demographic statistics and with the Principles and Recommendations for the Vital Statistics System - Revision 3, of the United Nations.

The calculated rate for manufacturers (P) (for each of the survey separately) is 1.00.

The calculated user rate (K) in the survey on concluded marriages is 0.85. The calculated user rate (K) in the survey on divorces is 0.80

Data on concluded marriages and data on divorces are taken from records of administrative sources, which are municipal registrar services and the network of Basic Courts. Part of the statistical data is obtained by additional method of interviewing the persons at the moment of events in these services (statements of persons), which to a lesser extent affects the incomplete or inadequate quality of data on persons who have concluded the marriage or whose marriage is divorced.

It is not applicable, since the surveys on concluded and divorced marriages are conducted on the total population.

Not applicable.

Part of the statistical data is obtained additionally by the method of interviewing a person at the moment of events in the administrative sources (statement of a person), which to a lesser extent affects the incomplete or inadequate quality of data on persons who have concluded the marriage or whose marriage is divorced.

The Annual survey on concluded marriages covers all registry offices in all municipalities of the Republic of Serbia. The coverage is complete.

In the Annual survey on divorces, framework for coverage (address book) is provided from the Statistical Business Registry for all judicial organs - basic courts. Updating the framework takes place on an annual basis, providing full coverage in this survey.

The overlapping error does not occur in the Annual survey on concluded marriages. In the Annual survey on divorces the overlapping error is minimal (2.0%), having in mind that the Address Book of Basic Courts is updated annually.

Not applicable, since there is only one source of data in both surveys.

The content and development of a questionnaire, both for for the survey on concluded marriages and the survey on divorces, relate to the recommendations for a vital statistics system prepared by the United Nations and Eurostat. The questionnaire creation goes parallel with the development of an appropriate instruction manual for filling the questionaires, as well as the development of associated codes for encryption of individual features in both surveys. Field work is preceded by training of statisticians in regional departments, who then train associates to fill in statistical data in reporting units. All the listed procedures avoid the risks of measurement error. Additionally, with any subsequent failure to fill out forms in the field, additional recommendations are made to overcome them and submitted to statisticians in regional departments.

Non-response in statistics of marriages and divorces refers to the questions (data) which are not the subject of keeping administrative records, but these data are collected additionaly by the interview method by reporting unit from the presons at the time of marraige concludion/ divorce (questions relating to the demographic and economic characteristics of persons).

In the statistics on concluded marriages, higher level of non-response is found in some qwuestions in reports on concluded marriages of usual residents abroad relative to reports on concluded marriages in the country in registrar offices (for which the non-response is minimal). Having in mind that the share of marraiges concluded abroad is less then 5% in total concluded marriages, this is not essential for the total quality of data from this survey. In the statistics on divorces level of non-response is about 40% of questions per report, what is the matter of subsequental completion of report in direct contact with the reporting unit. In case that the data is still unkonown, during the final processing of the data, imputations are done for certain variables in both surveys.

The unit's non-response rate is not applicable for the Annual survey on concluded marriages, bearing in mind that all reporting units (municipal services in municipalities) regularly report. In the Annual survey on divorces the unit non-response is 2% (0.02), which is usually overcome during the field work. In this case, having in mind that it is an administrative source, the subsequent urgencies that are being implemented mostly give the full response from all the reporting units (courts).

Non-response to particular issues, in the Annual survey on concluded marriages and in the Annual survey on divorces, relates most often to issues that are not the subject of keeping records of administrative sources. Such responses are obtained by an additional interview method from persons at the time of marraige conclusion or divorce. As the case of divorce could be processed through an intermediary (lawyer), resulting in absece of respective persons, which has the effect in raising the rate of non-response to particular issues relating the demographic and economic characteristics of a person.

Processing errors were eliminated in the process of testing the application for data entry and the creation of output tables in the IST aplication.

There is no evidence on the number of imputation, having in mind that these imputations ared done in regional departments during field work, as well as centralized in the production of final results.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The basic principles and standards for conducting revisions of published statistical data are defined in the General Revision Policy of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Sebia. The general audit policy of the SORS is fully aligned with the guidelines in the ESS Guidelines on Revision Policy, which was adopted by the European Statistical System Committee.

The revision of the methodology in vital statistics is carried out in a ten-year period after the conduction of each Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in order to apply harmonised concepts and definitions. Also, it is done the harmonization of methodology with the Eurostat and the UN Principles and Recommendations for a Vital Statistics System.

The revision of the vital statistics methodology relates to compliance with the recommendations for a system of vital statistics prepared by the UN and Eurostat. In connection with this, the changes that took place relate to the introduction of new concepts of the total population, and consequently, the changes in the number of inhabitants that are taken into account in the calculation of the derived indicators in the statistics on concluded marriages and divorces. Indicators calculated are the crude marriage rate per 1000 inhabitants and the crude divorce rate per 1000 inhabitants. The previous revisions did not influence already published data in the field of statistics of married and divorced marriages. Adding some new questions to questionnaires did not affect changes in previously published data.

For national purposes, data are published six months after the reference period on annual basis. Deadline for data transfer to Eurostat is December 31 current for the previous year.

Previous results from the Monthly survey on vital statistics are available 70 days after the end of the reference month.

The final results for the Annual survey on concluded marriages and the Annual survey on divorces are available 183 days after the end of the reference year.

The data obtained from the survey on concluded and divorced marriages are published in accordance with the defined deadlines in the Publications Calendar.

There are no delays in the publication/delivery of data. The value of this indicator for manufacturers is 0, and for users it is 1.

Data on concluded marriages and divorces are based on the legal civil status of a person defined by the Family Law of the Republic of Serbia, which ensures their comparability at the national level. The data from these surveys are comparable to the data from respective surveys in other European countries.

Starting from 1998. the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia has not at disposal and may not provide available certain data relative to AP Kosovo and Metohija and therefore these data are not included in the coverage for the Republic of Serbia (this note is given in all publications of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia).

Not applicable.

The data on concluded marriages have been available since 1950 and the detailed data on divorces have been available since 1952. Bearing in mind that vital statistics surveys harmonise with concepts and definitions applied in population censuses, the comparability was slightly affected by the change in the concepts and definitions of the total population (the concept of permanent population in Census 2002 and the concept of usual resident population in Cesus 2011 were also applied in the vital statistics). These changes in concepts and definitions are explained in publications in which the data vital statistics are published.

Since 1998, the SORS does not have data for the AP Kosovo and Metohija, some data from the survey on marriages and divorces can not be converted to the current situation (without the AP Kosovo and Metohija), therefore some data are not comparable during the entire period of conduction of these surveys (in the case of derived indicators, such as the average age of spouses, etc.).

The general comparability exists for all years since the establishment of surveys on concluded marriages and divorces, regardless of the introduction of new concepts of the concepts of the total population taken from the Population Census 2002 and 2011. These changes did not significantly affect the comparability of data on married and divorced marriages, and it should be kept in mind that the methodology of these surveys was not changed in terms of the definition of marriage, the conditions under which it is concluded (contracted) or terminated, and the other. The introduction of new features (for example ID number of person / JMBG, citizenship, place of birth and others) in research on closed and divorced allows for their tracking from the year of adding the corresponding questions to the DEM-3 and RB-1 form.

As the data for the territory of the AP Kosovo and Metohija are not available since 1998 (in both surveys) comparability is slightly interrupted in some aspects, such as in case of derived indicators: average age at the time of marriage, average age at the time of first marriage, average age at the time of divorce and average duration of divorce (the conversion of these indicators is possible only for the period from 1990).

There is no other comparable statistics on marriages and divorces.

The methodology of vital statistics is in line with the methodology used in the population censuses, which enable the links between census data and vital statistics data.

There is no complete consistency between the published previous data (monthly data) and final data (annual data). Monthly data are processed according to the place of registration, and annual according to place of residence. Also, the approach in processing and preparation of monthly (previous) data and annual (final) data varies in that the monthly data are processed without any subsequent imputation, which is the usual procedure for processing the annual (final) data. The differences between monthly data (aggregated for the whole year) and the annual (final data) are small.

Not applicable.

There is no complete consistency between the published previous data (monthly data) and final data (annual data). Monthly data are processed according to the place of registration, and annual according to place of residence. In addition, тhese differences are also inevitable given the possibility of delay in reporting on a monthly basis (from abroad in relation to concluded marraiges) and the inability to process and publish it in accordance with the defined publication date in the Publications Calendar. Also, the approach in processing and preparation of monthly (previous) data and annual (final) data varies in that the monthly data are processed without any subsequent imputation, which is the usual procedure for processing the annual (final) data. The differences between monthly data (aggregated for the whole year) and the annual (final data) are small.

Statistical release - Marriages and divorces SN50

Press release - Marriages and divorces

Demography statistics in the Republic of Serbia is the form of a special statistical publication in which the results of vital statistics  are published. Also, Statistical Yearbook of the Republic of Serbia, Municipalities and regions in the Republic of Serbia, monthly statistical bulletins are publications availabe at: http://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/oblasti/stanovnistvo 

At the official SORS web site it is available on-line database in which the data on concluded and divorced marriages in the Republic of Serbia are published for the period 2002-2017. The data are available in the group Population, the subgroup Vital statistics and under the indicator Marriages and divorces.

Access to microdata is regulated by the Procedure for enabling access to individual data without an identifier (anonymised microdata).

Ad hoc prepared data for users according to their requirements (telephone and written).

Published methodological materials in the form of Instructions for Registrars and Instructions for Judges, also Encryption Codes, are available on the SORS website at: http://www.stat.gov.rs/en-US/istrazivanja/methodology-and-documents/?a=18&s=0

Not applicable.

The metadata completeness rate for the field Marriages and divorces is 0.98.

Not applicable.

The financial resources for conducting the surveys on concluded and divorced marriages are provided from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia. The costs calculation is done on the basis of the cost for printing and distributing the forms (DEM-3 and RB-1) and the number of hours (value) that all employees spend working on these surveys.

There is no information on the burden on the reporting units participating in these surveys.

Official Statistics Law - Article 5

Official statistics are based on common standards, official definitions and basic principles, meaning the following: Principle of confidentiality refers to the protection of data relative to individual statistical units, regardless the fact whether they are collected directly through statistical surveys or obtained indirectly, from administrative or other sources. 

The handling of data is regulated by the Rulebook on the manner and procedure of data provision produced by the Statistical Office of the Republicof Serbia.

No additional notes.