Serbia’s parliamentary debates over the past decades illustrate how certain issues receive sustained attention while others remain marginalized. Using protocol data from 1997 to 2024, one can see that throughout this entire time-frame, the discussions of corruption (korupcija) were relatively rare, spiking only briefly in 2005, 2008, 2019, and 2021. In contrast, debates around development (razvoj) consistently dominated the agenda, with high levels of mentions throughout the entire period. This pattern suggests that, while moments of scandal or public concern temporarily drew parliamentary attention to corruption, the broader discourse was systematically reframed around economic growth, investment, and state-led progress. In effect, the persistence of development (razvoj) as a parliamentary topic overshadowed issues of accountability and governance, signaling a clear prioritization of government-promoted narratives over civic scrutiny.

Parallel analysis reveals the near absence of discussions related to women (zene) and gender equality (rodna ravnopravnost) in Serbia’s parliamentary protocols. Across more than two decades, these terms appear almost exclusively in passing, if at all. At the same time, topics emphasizing stability (stabilnost) and security (bezbednost) remain constant fixtures of debate, appearing repeatedly year after year. This juxtaposition highlights the persistent underrepresentation of social and gender issues, while discourse on state authority, law and order, and national security maintains dominance, reflecting both the framing priorities of the government and the limited parliamentary attention given to marginalized groups.