European PROGRES Programme Steering Committee approved today the funding of 40 projects for the development of technical documentation in the total value of 608,984 Euros, with 538,230 Euros funded by the European Union and Swiss Government and 70,754 Euros co-funded by the municipalities. The supported proposals for the development of technical documentation relate to social, utility and economic infrastructure and present the preconditions for beginning the construction of new or reconstruction of existing facilities.
During today’s fourth meeting, the Steering Committee also approved the criteria for support to local self-governments for the development of Detailed Regulation Plans (DRPs), allocating a total of 280,000 Euros. Local self-governments participating in the European PROGRES will have the opportunity to submit up to three projects for the development of DRPs, and the supported projects can count on grants in the amount of up to 15,000 Euros.
Programme’s progress in the period between 17 September and 31 December 2014 was also presented at the Meeting: four public Calls for Proposals were published, conditions created for the start of construction of the building for Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economy in Bujanovac, 20 partnership projects between civil society organizations and local self-governments and 16 projects for the improvement of tax payers’ registries were approved, new Programme website was developed and art competition for high school students was completed.
Ana Stanković, before the Delegation of the European Union, invited the local self-governments to speak openly about the obstacles they encounter during Programme implementation. She encouraged the municipalities to invest efforts and use the funds available to them through the Programme, but also to work intensively with the European PROGRES in order to improve their capacities.
The Meeting was presided over by the Serbian Office for European Integrations and attended by the representatives of the Serbian ministries, municipalities participating in the implementation of the European PROGRES, representatives of development agencies and projects, civil society and donors – European Union and Swiss Government.
European PROGRES activities, as Programme contributing to the sustainable development of South and South-West Serbia, will be supported by the European Union and Swiss Government with a total of 24.46 million Euros. Approved projects will aim to strengthen the local administration, create a favourable environment for infrastructure and economic development as well as improve the implementation of social inclusion and employment policy.
The following municipalities are covered by the Programme: Novi Pazar, Ivanjica, Nova Varoš, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin in South-West, as well as Prokuplje, Blace, Žitorađa, Kuršumlija, Leskovac, Bojnik, Vlasotince, Lebane, Medveđa, Crna Trava, Vranje, Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Preševo, Surdulica, Trgovište, Brus, Aleksinac, Gadžin Han, Doljevac, Merošina, Svrljig, Babušnica, Bela Palanka and Knjaževac in South-East Serbia.
