EU PROGRES Programme, in which the EU invested €14,1 million, contributed to the creation of at least 300 new jobs, attracted the investments worth at least €30 million and made the creation of 3,000 more jobs in the next five years possible, said the Head of EU Delegation to Serbia Ambassador Michael Davenport during his visit to Niš. Davenport also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of EU Info Point in this city.
„Out of more than 500 projects carried out by the EU in Serbia, I consider EU PROGRES to be one of the most important and comprehensive because it has helped the development of the important aspects of people’s lives,” said Davenport addressing the Programme’s management committee in Niš, during the meeting that marked the completion of the European Partnership with Municipalities Programme – EU PROGRES.
The European Partnership with Municipalities Programme – EU PROGRES is a development programme that includes 25 municipalities in the South and South West of Serbia. The programme is aimed at improving the living conditions and stabilising the South and South West Serbia.
Davenport expressed his satisfaction with the presence of Ms. Irena Vojáčková-Sollorano, the UN Resident Coordinator, and stressed that the agencies and organisations working as part of the United Nations are “an important partner of the European Union for carrying out the projects in various fields”.
Ambassador Davenport said the development aid to South and South West Serbia municipalities would continue through the new European PROGRES programme that, apart from those 25 municipalities already involved in the project, would cover nine more municipalities. Contracts on the programme should be signed in the following days.
The Ambassador had previously signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of EU Info Point in this city, and visited the future EU Info Point office space, located in the Niš Youth Office.
„Niš will join the exclusive club of European cities, that provide free information about European Union to all of the city’s inhabitants and guests,” said Davenport and added that EU Info Point would give information about the EU membership but also about the specific benefits citizens could obtain from it.
EU Info Point is part of the the EU Delegation’s communications activities, aimed at improving the knowledge about the European Union through direct contact with citizens of Niš, as well as with its visitors, relying on active support from the city authorities.
Over the course of 2014 the EU Delegation to Serbia will open an EU Info Point in Novi Sad as well.
During his visit to Niš, Ambassador Davenport was also to meet representatives of the civil society organisations.
