The construction of regional sanitary landfill, worth EUR24 million, kicked off today in Subotica. EU financial support, in the amount of EUR20 million, is aimed at the construction of infrastructure and strengthening of capacity of the regional enterprise and local public utility companies in the region of Subotica. Serbian Government contributed to the construction of regional landfill with EUR3.2 million, whereas a total of EUR1 million will be allocated out of the budget of the City of Subotica and municipalities in Region.
Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport said that this was one the largest projects with an immense practical application which would ensure an improved level of air and water quality to the whole Region of Subotica, because the construction of the central landfill would decrease the number of dump sites.
“This is a project of an immense practical benefit for the citizens of seven municipalities included in it, and I would say that each and every citizen will feel the improvement of living conditions once the project has been implemented. By this, I mean the improvement of air, underground waters and soil quality. The improvement of environmental conditions requires a broader dialogue of all stakeholders, in order to achieve concrete results,” said Davenport and added that the EU would continue to invest in environmental protection in Serbia.
“The construction of regional sanitary landfill is the first infrastructure project proposed by the Ministry, being the beneficiary and proposer of the project, to be funded out of IPA funds. We have been preparing project documentation since 2011,” said Minister of Agriculture Snezana Bogosavljevic Boskovic.
Mayor of Subotica Jene Maglai said that this was a great day for Subotica and other municipalities. “This is a project that will change the way citizens think, but also the management of waste disposal,” said Maglai.
The construction of landfill will allow for the management of municipal waste in line with EU requirements and domestic legislation, while preventing environmental pollution, said Bogosavljevic Boskovic.
Implementation of the new concept of waste management for the citizens of the City of Subotica and municipalities of Senta, Kanjiza, Backa Topola, Mali Idjos, Coka and Novi Knezevac, kicks off with the implementation of the Construction of Subotica Regional Landfill Project.
Thus for the first time in Serbia a comprehensive system of final waste disposal will be implemented in accord with EU standards and Serbian National Strategy for Waste Disposal Management 2010-2019. The construction will be carried out through three separate EU projects aimed at monitoring and technical support, the construction of regional landfill complex and the construction of three transfer stations with the support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection as well as local self-governments in the Region.
