European PROGRES is a multi-donor
Programme, financed by the European Union (EU)...
European PROGRES is a multi-donor
Programme, financed by the European Union (EU), the Government of Switzerland
and the Government of Serbia, designed to support sustainable development in
the South East and South West Serbia. The Programme has been conceptualised
jointly with the European Integration Office of the Government of the Republic
of Serbia (SEIO), which has responsibility for monitoring implementation and
providing assistance and facilitation. The United Nations Office for Project
Services (UNOPS) has been granted an initial budget of 17.46 million Euros and
has the overall responsibility for the Programme implementation.
Through a multi-sector approach this
Programme will contribute to sustainable development of underdeveloped areas
and creation of more favourable environment for infrastructure and business
growth by strengthening local governance, improving vertical coordination,
planning and management capacities, improving business environment and
development, as well as enhancing implementation of social inclusion and
employment policies.
The Programme works towards achieving
four main results, while good governance principles are interwoven as a cross
cutting aspect of the entire intervention:
- Strengthened local governance, planning and management capacities through
introduction of new, or improvement/elimination of existing procedures and processes
in line with the principles of good governance
- Increased competitiveness of local economy through improved business
environment and management/organizational capacities of small and medium
enterprises/agricultural cooperatives
- Improved access to employment, offering equal opportunities to both men
and women, and social inclusion of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups
through development and implementation of local policies resulting in reduced
migration from South East and South West Serbia
- Effects of Serbia’s European accession communicated to general public.
The final beneficiaries, but also the
key stakeholders and financial contributors of this Programme are 34
municipalities from the third and fourth group of development level, which have
responsibility of taking ownership of activities implemented in their
territory:
- Novi Pazar,
Ivanjica, Nova Varoš, Priboj, Prijepolje, Raška, Sjenica and Tutin, in the
South West Serbia
- Prokuplje,
Blace, Žitorađa, Kuršumlija in the Toplica District
- Leskovac,
Bojnik, Vlasotince, Lebane, Medveđa and Crna Trava in the Jablanica
District
- Vranje,
Bosilegrad, Bujanovac, Vladičin Han, Preševo, Surdulica and Trgovište in
the Pčinja District
- Brus in the
Rasinska District
- Aleksinac,
Gadžin Han, Doljevac, Merošina and Svrljig in the Niški District
- Babušnica,
Bela Palanka in the Pirotski District
- Knjaževac in
the Zaječarski District.
Other beneficiaries include municipality-founded institutions
and public utility companies, civil society organisations (CSO) and media in
the participating municipalities. It is the inhabitants of the South East and
South West Serbia who will feel the biggest benefits of the Programme.