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 with 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 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.
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 Rasina
District
- Aleksinac, Gadžin
Han, Doljevac, Merošina and Svrljig in Niš District
- Babušnica, Bela
Palanka in Pirot District
- Knjaževac in Zaječar
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.