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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Memorandum on realisation of 2nd phase of programme for strengthening local self-government in Serbia

Belgrade, 28 October 2009

Representatives of the Serbian government, the Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities and the Council of Europe signed today the Memorandum on cooperation for realisation of the programme “The strengthening of the local self-government in Serbia, Phase Two”.

Author: Tanjug

The Memorandum was signed by Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Slobodan Ilic, President of the Permanent Conference Nenad Milenkovic and Director of Democratic Institutions at the Council of Europe Hilderik Shapseld.

Special Representative of the Council of Europe in Serbia Constantin Yerocostopoulos said that this institution will continue to support Serbia in its European integration process.

He said that since 2001, when the Council of Europe opened their Belgrade office, € 12 million have been invested in various programmes.

Yerocostopoulos welcomed Serbia’s initialing of the European Charter on Local Self-Government, but stated concrete steps must be made towards securing the political, administrative and financial independence of the local authorities.

Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Markovic said that a new law on local elections is being prepared, in cooperation with the Council of Europe and other partners, as well as laws on the state electrical commission and electoral poll.

State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance Slobodan Ilic said that the Serbian government plans to adopt the bills on public property and amendments to the law on public debt by the end of the year, so that local self-governments could become stronger economically.

He said the adoption of these laws will encourage local economic development, adding that a draft law on restitution is also being composed together with the Council of Europe.

Ilic noted that the government is keen on concluding this task by the year’s end.

Head of Operations of the European Commission delegation to Serbia Pierre Dybman said that local self-government is the “heart of Serbia”, adding that without a successful self-government there can be no laws, fiscal decentralisation or competent staff.

In the second stage of the project the main goals are consolidation of the existing institutional and legal framework, promotion of fiscal decentralization, coordination of the decentralization strategy and stronger participation of citizens at the local level.

The realization of the programme, worth €2.2 million, began on April 29 this year and will last three years.

The Memorandum they signed today determines the roles and obligations of partners in this joint programme, whose goal is to support central and local authorities regarding the decentralization strategy and implementation of institutional and legal reforms in local self-government in Serbia.