The lion’s share of EU regulations will be implemented by local self-governments, said Sem Fabrizi, the Head of Delegation of EU to Serbia, noting that Serbia must have an efficient and transparent public administration in order to access EU funds, while Minister for European Integrations Jadranka Joksimovic stated that she is optimistic in that regard.

Up to 70 percent of European directives and laws concern the local level, said the participants in the 46th Annual Assembly of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities on the subject of European future of the local self-government.

Joksimovic assessed that Serbian local self-government is being timely prepared for the membership in the EU.

Of course there are challenges in all areas and they are not limited to Serbia as a candidate country, she said, noting that the implementation of EU directives is always subject to review in the EU itself.

When shortcomings arise, you learn as you go, and concerning the funds, as a preparation for the membership, we need a stronger local administration and stronger IPA units at both local and ministry levels, Joksimovic pointed out.

As the national IPA coordinator, the minister stated that the pre-accession funds for Serbia are about EUR200 million per year and that we use them in the best way in the region.

Fonet

Ambassador Fabrizi pointed out to the representatives of the towns and municipalities that they will be in charge of the implementation of around 70 percent or European regulations and that the responsibility for the reforms in favour of their citizens lies upon them.

“On the other side, upon accession to the EU, the pre-accession funds become accession funds,” said Fabrizi and underlined that “to make use of them, you must have a stable local administration that will be efficient and transparent.”

He reminded that the EU put the Western Balkans on its enlargement agenda this year.

Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Branko Ruzic said that local self-government is the pillar of EU reforms.

Local self-government is where we look for information about their problems, how to enable them, and education means preparing for budgets and projects, because the goal is that every civil servant enforces the same law or regulation the same way, said Ruzic.

Mayor of Belgrade Zoran Radojicic opened the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities Assembly and presented a vision of Belgrade with ever more green and smart solutions to its problems. We very much need EU’s support in order to achieve this, he added.

Radojicic pointed out that the City wants to be a strong partner of the Serbian Government on the way to the EU.

President of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and Mayor of Sombor Dusanka Golubovic said that 21 chapters concern the local level government, and added that the SCTМ carried out 14 analyses of what is expected from LSGs in the process.

At the Assembly in Belgrade’s Sava Centre, SCTM celebrated 65 years of existence and work on improving the conditions for the functioning of the local self-government and a better life of the citizens. Also, the representatives of 24 towns and municipalities signed several memoranda concerning collaboration with SCTM in various fields.