New Projects for South Serbia
19 April 2011, BujanovacSteering Committee of the European Partnership with Municipalities Programme – PROGRES, during the 3rd meeting held today in Bujanovac, unanimously decided to approve financing seven infrastructure projects in Toplica area, as well as forming of citizens’ assistance centres in Bosilegrad, Crna Trava and Trgoviste.
The European Union and the Government of Switzerland will support implementation of the infrastructure projects with approximately 560,000 Euro, and forming of citizens’ assistance centres with 130,000 Euro. The approved infrastructure projects have a goal to improve quality of life in four municipalities in Toplica area, while forming of citizens’ assistance centres is an important part of PROGRES efforts to help municipalities in improving the quality of services provided to citizens.
Ognjen Miric, the Deputy Director of the Serbian European Integration Office and the PROGRES Steering Committee Chair praised the efficiency of PROGRES and said: “It is important to continue coordination between local self-governments and relevant ministries of the Republic of Serbia, and PROGRES can help in that process. It is also important that local development plans are in line with relevant national strategies.”
The Steering Committee also approved realisation of a campaign to promote good governance in 25 municipalities in south and south-west Serbia. Finally, the committee agreed to provide support in principle for development of the regional project “Green Zone” in Leskovac.
Jovanka Vukmirovic, the Head of the Department for Policy and Analysis for Regional Development within the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development of the Republic of Serbia, praised the “Green Zone” project and added: “Regional development is the most vulnerable in rural areas, and this project has a goal to help primal agricultural producers from a wider area to find their way to the market.”
Participants of the Committee meeting today were also informed about PROGRES achievements in the period January-March 2011, and were presented with a plan of activities for the next quarter. Some of the key results from the previous quarter are launch of 40 partnership projects of the civil society and local self-governments, presentation of Citizens Satisfaction Survey results, and finalisation of the first public call for financing municipal infrastructure projects.
Participants at the 3rd Steering Committee Meeting were representatives of relevant ministries, municipalities involved in PRPOGRES programme, representatives of development agencies and projects, civil society, donors – representatives of the EU and the Government of Switzerland, while the United Nations Office for Project Services – UNOPS, as an implementing partner had a secretarial role.
The overall objective of PROGRES is to support development of 25 municipalities in the South and SouthWest Serbia. The programme will help municipalities improve their infrastructure, improve quality of services that they provide to their citizens and businesses, to modernise their work in line with the principles of good governance, and to promote their development potentials. Strategically, PROGRES is in line with endevaours of the Government of the Republic of Serbia to support equal development, reform administration and integrate the country into the European Union. For the implementation of PROGRES, EU will provide 14.1 million Euro, Government of Switzerland 2.5 million, while the Government of the Republic of Serbia will participate with 1.5 million Euro.
