Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem in the purview of the government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem is not in our purview, we will forward your message to the relevant institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Major part of IPA funds intended for local self-governments

Belgrade, 3 December 2007

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said that a significant part of EU funds from the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) approved to Serbia will be distributed among local self-governments.

Participating in the work of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, Djelic said the he expects the Serbian government to confirm the agreement on the approval of EU funds from the IPA to Serbia in the amount of €1 billion this week, as well as parliament to ratify it by the end of the year.

He said that local self-governments made most progress during the past seven years in the area of public finances and recalled that today every municipality is implementing projects aimed at improving local infrastructure.

According to Djelic, Serbia will receive €109.9 million from the IPA in 2008, of which €25 million will be set aside for the development of local infrastructure.

Djelic said that the Serbian government will adopt laws important for local self-governments during the next few weeks. He pointed to the fact that the law on public property and the law on concessions are ready and it is expected that public debate on these laws will begin soon.

He said that the law on regional development will be adopted by mid-September 2008, which will enable Serbia to get IPA certificates.

Serbian Parliament Speaker Oliver Dulic said that local self governments are initiators of development and basic units of society since public works should be conducted at the grass roots level.

Dulic added that Serbia aims to become a country with well developed and strong regions.

Acting Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Alimpic said that the City of Belgrade, for the first time in its history, must adopt its own law which is very important not only for residents of Belgrade, but for all of Serbia.

US Ambassador to Serbia Cameron Munter said that his country is helping local self-governments in Serbia because it wishes to build democracy at the local level.

German Ambassador to Serbia Wolfram Maas said that a major part of the €67 million provided by Germany to Serbia as assistance is meant for local self-governments and specified that a loan worth €50 million has been approved for improving municipality utility infrastructure.