The European Union and the Governments of Switzerland and Serbia will set aside at least 24.6 million Euros to support the development of 34 local self-governments in the South East and South West Serbia, through the European PROGRES Programme, over the next three and a half years. The Government of Serbia Minister for EU Integrations Jadranka Joksimović, the Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Serbia Ambassador Michael Davenport, the Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Serbia Isabel Perich and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) Regional Director for Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania Bruce McCarron signed the cooperation agreement today.
The European PROGRES Programme, which commences after the successfully completed EU PROGRES, aims to assist the Government of the Republic of Serbia in its EU accession efforts and support balanced socio-economic development. The Programme should result in strengthened local governance, planning and management capacities and the creation of prerequisites for sustainable development by introducing new and improved processes, provision of support to the local self-governments and business communities to increase their international export opportunities, income generation and improve access to employment. European PROGRES will also facilitate the opening of new jobs whilst offering equal opportunities to both women and men, as well as support the inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in all spheres of life.
“Strengthening local self-governments is an important part of Serbia’s overall economic development. We remain committed to structural and systemic reforms and that is why the specific support of our European partners is important. And, in particular, specific support to the underdeveloped municipalities that will boost their competitiveness, help them attract foreign investments and develop a system of good and accountable governance. This will bring to light the specific headway and importance of EU integration. European PROGRES is one of the ways in which the Government of Serbia is contributing to the balanced development of the underdeveloped parts of Serbia, together with its partners, the European Union and the Swiss Government,” Minister Joksimović said.
The European Union has earmarked 19.6 million Euros and the Swiss Government 4.86 million Euros for the implementation of European PROGRES. The Government of Serbia will provide co-funding of individual projects through the line ministries and local self-governments. From the total budget, eight million Euros have been set aside for priority infrastructure projects, which will be implemented directly through the Ministry of Finance’s Central Financing and Contracting Unit (CFCU). The European Integrations Office of the Government of Serbia provides strategic guidance and the Programme is implemented by UNOPS and the Government of the Republic of Serbia.
“We will invest additional efforts together with our partners, the Governments of Serbia and Switzerland, to facilitate prosperity, particularly economic prosperity. We will pay special attention to the projects attracting investments and contributing to the opening of jobs. The Programme will continue to support infrastructural development, the preparation of technical and planning documentation, as well as vulnerable groups. European PROGRES will be a much more challenging Programme. We have nine new municipalities, and the competition will be stiffer. The criteria for granting support will be stricter as well. We are now encouraging you to think about cooperating on joint large-scale projects. The European Union is extending major support because it wants Serbia to be economically stable and strong,” Ambassador Davenport said.
“Switzerland will continue to promote good governance and the rule of law, making these principles even more tangible, citizen oriented and available to the local governments. In concrete terms, Switzerland will support transparency, accountability, participation, non-discrimination and efficiency to become a part of everyday life of the citizens in the South, South West and South East Serbia,”the Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office Serbia, Isabel Perich, said.
“UNOPS has a committed team in Serbia, who are focused on people and their needs. As you have witnessed during the implementation of European PROGRES’ predecessor – EU PROGRES, our support is tailored to suit the local needs. Only with the joint effort of all parties will the underdeveloped areas in the South East and South West Serbia be able to achieve sustainable progress and to increase their competitiveness in many fields,” Bruce McCarron, the UNOPS Regional Director for Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Oceania, said.
There are 34 local self-governments that are included in the Programme - Novi Pazar, Ivanjica, Nova Varoš, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin in the South West Serbia, and 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 the South East Serbia.
