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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia to receive €1.5 billion from EU by 2013

Brussels/Belgrade, 20 September 2007

Serbian State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Janko Guzijan said today that during the upcoming seven years Serbia will receive some €1.5 billion from the EU through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) progrmme for the Balkans.

Guzijan explained that together with the use of these funds European rules and standards will also be introduced in Serbia.

He said that at a seminar organised for representatives of the countries in the region in Brussels, a lot of attention was dedicated to the framework agreement with the European Commission on use of these funds, which should also be ratified by Serbian parliament.

Serbian Assistant Minister of Finance Gordana Lazarevic recalled that Serbia has already submitted a number of projects for 2007 to the European Commission which will be financed through the IPA programme, and which concern local development of municipalities, strengthening capacities of ministries and some infrastructure facilities.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said to participants of the seminar from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and representatives of Kosovo-Metohija in the UNMIK delegation, as well as officials from Croatia and Turkey, that the IPA programme will allow countries in the region to prepare for entry into the EU.

Rehn said that the ability of public administration in these countries to take responsibility to regulate the use of funds received is of crucial importance in the process of joining the EU.

Serbia and other potential candidates for EU membership will receive funds from the IPA programme for transition and building of institutions, as well as cross border cooperation, and after acquiring candidate status, Serbia will be able to use IPA programme funds for projects in environment, rural development and capacity building of experts and personnel.

The European Commission published its first multi-year plan for financing projects from the IPA programme in July, which is worth €3.961 billion.

According to the plan, in the period from 2007-2009, Serbia will receive a total of €572.4 million, Montenegro €97.3 million, Kosovo-Metohija (on the basis of the UN SC Resolution 1244) €199.1 million, Macedonia € 210.4, Albania € 212.9 million, Croatia € 438.5 and Turkey € 1,602,003.