For the past 20 years, the EU Exchange 6 Program has helped provide training to employees in local self-governments throughout Serbia, with this important anniversary being celebrated during the 52nd Assembly of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM).
On this occasion, Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia, and Nikola Tarbuk, Secretary General of the SCTM, signed contracts for the implementation of two projects – “EU Support for Integrated Territorial Development (EU Integra)” and “EU for Human Resource Management in Local Self-Governments – Phase III”, with a total value of EUR 14.7 million.
The project “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development (EU Integra)”, funded by the EU IPA 2024, is aimed at supporting local self-governments and regional development agencies in building their capacities to plan, implement and monitor development projects based on sustainable urban and territorial development strategies.
The goal of this project is to enhance local and regional capacities to access and manage significantly larger and more complex projects. The project will be implemented over the next 48 months and is valued at EUR 12 million. The second project “EU for Human Resource Management in Local Self-Governments – Phase III”, funded by the EU under IPA 2024, aims to improve the human resource management system in local administrations in line with the competency framework and public administration reform strategy, and it also seeks to enhance the capacity of local self-government units for professional development based on competencies. This project will also be implemented over the next 48 months, with a total value of EUR 2.7 million.
During his speech, Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Serbia, noted that local self-governments are the primary point of contact for the citizens and businesses, responsible for maintaining trust, responsibility and direct engagement with the public.
“From environmental protection to public administration reform, local governments play a key role in implementing EU priorities and translating them into tangible results. Therefore, the EU has been a key partner to the local self-government and regional development of Serbia for almost two decades, investing over EUR 400 million in projects that helped improve schools, healthcare, infrastructure and more. The EU support makes it possible to strengthen the structure of local self-governments, laying the foundation for a deeper integration of Serbia into the European Union and the promotion of common values”, stated Giaufret and added that reforms in Serbia will be supported with an additional EUR 1.5 billion of new funds that will be launched in the coming weeks, as part of the new Growth Plan.
On behalf of the host city, the meeting was opened by the President of the Belgrade City Assembly, Nikola Nikodijević, who reminded everyone that Belgrade was one of the six cities that initiated the formation of SCTM, back in 1953, and that to this day it is an important factor in the reform and strengthening of local self-government in Serbia.
“SCTM is gaining importance also in relation to our country’s strategic determination for EU membership, in whose reform agenda the issue of local self-government occupies one of the most important places”, Nikodijević said. He stated that the level of services provided by local institutions depends on whether the local community will have quality social protection, traffic and communal infrastructure.
“I am sure that the system of local self-government can play a valuable role in the process of Serbia’s European integration. Therefore, I would like to emphasize the importance of the “EU Exchange” project and these 20 years of cooperation”, Nikodijević said.
In the working part of the meeting, Goran Cvetanović, Mayor of Leskovac and President of the SCTM, addressed the audience and emphasized the importance of EU support for the development of local self-government and local communities in Serbia.
“In the past two decades, the SCTM and our cities and municipalities have continuously confirmed the great importance of this kind of support for improving the quality of life of our citizens. The EU and its support to our country provide numerous opportunities for the improvement of all our local communities, through various funds and programs. Through these funds, local authorities can significantly improve their infrastructure, stimulate economic growth and improve the quality of life of their citizens”, said Cvetanović and added that the EU’s support to the local community enables the modernization of infrastructure, including the construction of roads, schools, hospitals, and indicating that the SCTM Assembly represents the largest gathering of local self-government representatives in Serbia.
During this year’s Assembly, a panel discussion “European Union support for local development” was held, with participation of Jelena Žarić Kovačević, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Nicola Bertolini, Head of Cooepration at the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, Mira Radenović Bojić, State Secretary of the Ministry for European Integration, Đorđe Todorov, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affaris, Saša Stevanović, State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Nikola Tarbuk, Secretary General of the SCTM.
The meeting was closed with the presentation of the results of the EU Exchange 6 Program and the awarding of recognition letters to the representatives of towns and municipalities – beneficiaries of direct support within the EU Exchange 6 Program.
