On May 28th, Europe Day was celebrated at the International University of Novi Pazar with a public panel discussion dedicated to the topic of circular economy and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. The event featured speeches by H.E. Cathy Buggenhout, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to Serbia; Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia; Siniša Mitrović, Head of the Circular Economy Center at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce; and Radovan Nikčević, representative of the EU project for the Green Agenda in Serbia.
The event is part of the “EUROPE IS OUR HOME” campaign, launched by the EU Delegation to Serbia at the end of April, aiming to encourage cooperation and the exchange of ideas to enhance sustainable development and environmental responsibility. The discussion addressed how the circular economy can transform the future of the Western Balkans and contribute to the sustainable development of the region, key strategies for implementing the Green Agenda, and the role of the European Union in this process.
The conversation provided a platform for jointly considering key issues, identifying best practices, and supporting the implementation of policies that promote circularity and green transition, thus paving the way for a more prosperous and sustainable future.
Plamena Halacheva, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, stated that the European Union continues to support the Western Balkans region in its aim to reach European environmental standards as soon as possible.
“Novi Pazar is Europe, and it is the city with the youngest population in Serbia. That is why it is important that we are here today to discuss environmental protection, as these young people are the future. This panel is one of many we are organizing as part of the ‘Europe is Our Home’ campaign, and I believe the slogan is particularly fitting for today’s topic as we are talking about our common home, our planet, because we don’t have a spare one,” said Plamena Halacheva.
The discussion with citizens and young academics is the second in a series of five debates organized by the EU Delegation in Serbia to initiate dialogue on important issues for Serbia’s European future. The “EUROPE IS OUR HOME” campaign, following two public discussions in Subotica and Novi Pazar, will continue celebrating Europe Day in Kragujevac, Užice and Niš. The topics of the public discussions vary, from digitalization and innovation to cultural heritage and others, aiming to engage the public and stakeholders in a constructive dialogue about Serbia’s path to European integration and the optimal use of funds from the EU Growth Plan.
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