EU PROGRES Newsletter, Annual Report Edition, July 2012-June
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Annual Report Edition JULY 2012 - JUNE 2013 European Partnership with Municipalities Economic Development It's All About Jobs Energy and Environment Painting the Environment Greener Water Supply Life with(out) Water Social Inclusion Hope for All Education Good Education for Stronger Generation Health "The Greatest Wealth Is Health" Why Will There Be PROGRESS After EU PROGRES? We reached the end of the third year and we know we One should not forget the social inclusion and direct are on a good track to make significant positive impact support to some 9,100 people from vulnerable and on the lives of the population in the South and South disadvantaged groups, including Roma, people with West Serbia. Different people may have a different view disabilities, elderly citizens and women, whose lives as to what is the impact of EU PROGRES. Some would benefitted from different projects. say it is the 29 infrastructure projects that improved business infrastructure, waste management, water But there are three approaches that we believe have supply, energy efficiency, and conditions for education, made a remarkable difference and whose effects will health, youth and sports. be felt long after the Programme ends. Good governance. Development vision. Partnerships. Others would argue that actually it is the large infrastructure projects, of inter-municipal character, EU PROGRES is one of the few development equally important for the large towns that are hosting programmes in Serbia that embedded good the key activities, and for those smaller municipalities governance principles into all its activities. You may in the area that will provide supplies or services, which ask yourself how did we do it? We linked the good are key success of the Programme. To name a few, governance to construction. On top of bricks and Leskovac Green Zone, Vranje Industrial Zone, Pčinja mortar, came a layer of transparency, effectiveness, Fruit Development, the Regional Centre for efficiency, non-discrimination and participation. And Development of Agriculture in Pešter. The common what was the result? Thirty-five new regulations that denominator for all is creation of hundreds, if not enhance sustainability and impact of infrastructure thousands of jobs in the coming years. projects were adopted. We built a kindergarten – we assisted municipality to define regulations about Then, of course, the activities which improved local enrolment of children. We reconstructed a green government capacities, and which are instrumental market - rules for renting of stalls were drafted. for enhanced municipal competitiveness – four One Stop Shops, which will reduce total time needed for We inspired the municipal leadership to bring their issuing of construction permit from average 96 to 77 development vision to a higher level. To think laterally days. Or the technical and planning documentation and to include neighbouring municipalities in planning which already enabled municipalities to access 1.6 and implementation of projects. To overcome their million Euros funding. We reached the end of the third year and we know we One should not forget the social inclusion and direct political differences in order to move forward. For are on a good track to make significant positive impact support to some 9,100 people from vulnerable and those efforts we received nine highest municipal on the lives of the population in the South and South disadvantaged groups, including Roma, people with awards for contribution to local development - from 234 West Serbia. Different people may have a different view disabilities, elderly citizens and women, whose lives Leskovac, Vranje, Ivanjica, Bosilegrad, Raška, contracted projects as to what is the impact of EU PROGRES. Some would benefitted from different projects. Trgovište, Vlasotince, Lebane, and Žitorađa. say it is the 29 infrastructure projects that improved business infrastructure, waste management, water But there are three approaches that we believe have However, EU PROGRES wouldn’t have been possible supply, energy efficiency, and conditions for education, made a remarkable difference and whose effects will without the great partnership established between health, youth and sports. be felt long after the Programme ends. Good the project donors, the EU, the Government of governance. Development vision. Partnerships. Switzerland, the Government of Serbia, the 25 Others would argue that actually it is the large municipalities and the implementing partner the infrastructure projects, of inter-municipal character, EU PROGRES is one of the few development United Nations Office for Project Services. The equally important for the large towns that are hosting programmes in Serbia that embedded good strategic chairmanship of the Programme Steering The Status of EU PROGRES the key activities, and for those smaller municipalities governance principles into all its activities. You may Committee, by the Serbian European Integration Contracted Projects in the area that will provide supplies or services, which ask yourself how did we do it? We linked the good Office meant continuous support and leadership not are key success of the Programme. To name a few, governance to construction. On top of bricks and only to the Programme, but to the participating Leskovac Green Zone, Vranje Industrial Zone, Pčinja mortar, came a layer of transparency, effectiveness, municipalities as well. Fruit Development, the Regional Centre for efficiency, non-discrimination and participation. And 146 completed (62%) Development of Agriculture in Pešter. The common what was the result? Thirty-five new regulations that With the joint efforts, shared objectives and genuine denominator for all is creation of hundreds, if not enhance sustainability and impact of infrastructure commitment, those partners, through EU PROGRES, 44 on track (19%) thousands of jobs in the coming years. projects were adopted. We built a kindergarten – we are contributing to shifting the South and South assisted municipality to define regulations about West from the map of the least developed and 32 delayed with low risks (14%) Then, of course, the activities which improved local enrolment of children. We reconstructed a green conflict prone municipalities into the area that is government capacities, and which are instrumental market - rules for renting of stalls were drafted. attractive to investors, with skilled people and 2 delayed with high risk (1%) for enhanced municipal competitiveness – four One potentials for socio-economic growth that could Stop Shops, which will reduce total time needed for We inspired the municipal leadership to bring their benefit the entire country. 10 discontinued (4%) issuing of construction permit from average 96 to 77 development vision to a higher level. To think laterally days. Or the technical and planning documentation and to include neighbouring municipalities in planning which already enabled municipalities to access 1.6 and implementation of projects. To overcome their million Euros funding. Economic Development It's All About Jobs Programme Achievements 60 full-time jobs created by the end of Programme in March 2014. 150 to 200 more full-time jobs should be created by the end of Programme (March 2014) 7,5 million Euros Local economies earned through implementation 700 temporary employments through companies that delivered goods or services for EU PROGRES’ projects Installation of the equipment in the Termovent actory in Medveđa Medveđa Termovent Factory Pčinja District Regional Fruit Production Centre The reconstruction of the Medveđa wood process- About 190 agricultural producers from the entire ing factory Termovent is finished. Delivery of Pčinja District benefited from the trainings on moderni- machines for the factory, donated by the Slovenian sation of production and will get the opportunity to Centre for International Development, will be com- apply for fruit seedlings and start new orchards. pleted by mid July. By the end of 2013, the Factory Moreover, EU PROGRES supported signing of the will employ 30 people. agreement among the seven Pčinja municipalities to establish a Steering Committee that includes senior Vranje Industrial Zone municipal officials with decision making authority, and Advisory Board that is composed of fruit experts who Development of detailed regulation plans and the main have a role to provide guidelines for the project develop- design for the bypass road to the Industrial Zone, open- ment. Without this organisation, prospect for the ing of One Stop Shop, preparation of a foreign direct regional project success would be more limited. investment plan, as well as a branding project, confirm a comprehensive approach to enhance business Pešter Regional Centre for Development friendly environment in Vranje, that could reverberate of Agriculture through the entire Pčinja District. Already, the Italian shoemaker Geox said it would invest 15.8 million The works on the construction of the Regional Centre Euros and open 1,250 jobs in the next three years, for Development of Agriculture for Pešter are 60% while Ditre Italia has signed a contract with the Govern- completed, delivery of tractors and agricultural machin- ment of Serbia to invest around 13.4 million Euros and ery started in June 2013, while the Czech Development open additional 400 jobs. Agency provided the first set of equipment for the laboratory that will operate within the Centre. This Leskovac Green Zone regional project, which covers Novi Pazar, Tutin and Sjenica, should