EU PROGRES in Prokuplje Last updated оn 31 March 2014 BASIC INFO ABOUT MUNICIPALITY Population: 43,631 people * Interesting facts about Prokuplje Geographic area: 759 km2 The Hisar Hill lies in the heart of Prokuplje, with the fortress Average salary: 33,934 RSD and cultural monuments dating from the Roman period and the Middle Ages. The Toplica River, close to the foot of the Hisar, Unemployed: 7,813 people flows upstream, which is another natural phenomenon. The Municipal Budget: 1,512,351,000 RSD nearby hill Vidojevica, with the highest number of clear nights in Serbia, hosts the Astronomical Station. *Data as per the 2011 census Close to Prokuplje is Pločnik, the site dating from the Early Municipality of Prokuplje Neolith, where the archaeologists have found the earliest Nikodija Stojanovića 2 evidence of copper smelting, dating from between 5,500 BCE 18400 Prokuplje and 5,000 BCE. This indicates that the Copper Age started 500 +381 (0)27 324 040 years earlier than previously thought, and probably www.prokuplje.org.rs somewhere near this region. “Together with the municipality, the EU PROGRES tackled one of the EU PROGRES IN PROKUPLJE most difficult communal problems of the citizens – the regulation of the Stražavačka River. The River 14 Projects now has legal, decent and Number of projects approved environmentally friendly flow. ” Dr Ljubiša Đurković 2 Inter-municipal projects Mayor of Prokuplje Number of projects approved 410,963 Euros Total value of approved projects Programme funded by EU Implementing partner RECENT SUCCESS Free Legal Aid for All The free legal assistance was provided to 1,065 citizens of Prokuplje, through the Citizens’ Assistance Service (CAS) project funded by the European Union and the Government of Switzerland through EU PROGRES with 29,700 EUR. The CAS enabled the beneficiaries, most of whom were from the vulnerable groups (internally displaced persons, refugees, elderly, minorities - especially Roma, unemployed, single parents, and persons with disability, to obtain personal documentation, exercise right to social welfare, healthcare protection, employment andschooling. Of all requests, 47% have been settled positively. “I suffered from domestic violence from my husband, so I had to move back to my parents. I did not know what to do. He took our child and did not let me see her. Then, I asked for the free legal assistance, and received all necessary support to go through divorce and custody”, one beneficiary of this project said. LIST OF EU PROGRES PROJECTS IN PROKUPLJE Good Governance Municipal Co-funding EU PROGRES funds Status Adaptation and Equipment for the School for Children with Disabilities "Sveti Sava" School was adapted and equipped to organise work and learning through play for 40 pupils with disabilities. The teachers 1,041 Euros 5,350 Euros already noticed improvement in the motoric skills of children and Completed increase in motivation for school activities. Six children with disabilities from other schools also attend support classes in “Sveti Sava”. Vocational Training for the Roma Fifteen young Roma attended vocational training for 4,273 Euros 4,296 Euros hairdresser/pedicurist/manicurist, car electrician/steel bar fixer, and Completed mason/house painter and gained the status of semi- skilled workers. Citizens’ Advisory Service The free legal assistance was provided to 1,065 citizens, mostly from vulnerable groups: internally displaced persons, refugees, elderly, minorities (especially Roma), unemployed, single parents, persons 3,300 Euros 29,700 Euros with disability, to obtain personal documentation, exercise right to Completed social welfare, healthcare protection, employment and schooling. Forty-seven percent (47%) of requests have been settled positively. We are Implementing EU Charter on Gender Equality This project supported local Gender Equality Mechanism through 403 Euros 1,849 Euros promotion of EU Charter on GE. Completed Supporting Women Entrepreneurship with Start-up Grants This project provided equipment to the female entrepreneur to start - 3,652 Euros agricultural production of oyster mushrooms in greenhouses. Completed Procurement of the medical equipment Ultrasound colour doppler device was donated to Health Centre - 13,954 Euros Prokuplje in order to improve primary health care of women. Completed LIST OF EU PROGRES PROJECTS IN PROKUPLJE Municipal Management and Development Planning Municipal Co-funding EU PROGRES funds Status Establishment of Toplica Fruit Cluster The results of the assessment of the fruit producers in the Toplica District, conducted by the Business Incubator Centre Prokuplje, were - 21,931 Euros incorporated into the process of establishment of the South Serbia Completed Fruit Cluster. Introduction of the Quality Management System and the Environment Management System Prokuplje Municipal Administration received the Quality Management - 6,169 Euros System and the Environment Management System certificates, which Completed ensured standardised quality of service delivery to citizens. Detailed Regulation Plan for Mala Guba Settlement The Detailed Regulation Plan and the necessary geodetic layouts created basis for planning of housing, social housing and 3,484 Euros 9,194 Euros development of infrastructure in the informal Roma settlement Mala Completed Guba, inhabited by 250 people. This should allow municipality to issue permits for infrastructure investments in the settlement. Support to Local Tax Administration The number of registered taxpayers increased by 3,295 and the revenue on property taxes by 83.5%, thus positively affecting the 805 Euros 7,229 Euros municipal budget. Six workers from the registry of the National Completed Employment Service were temporarily employed for three months to work on the update of the database. Infrastructure Municipal Co-funding EU PROGRES funds Status Reconstruction of the parking and plateau in front of the Health Centre and Emergency Service The reconstruction of the parking and the plateau reduces the traffic 15,581 Euros 87,338 Euros congestions and contributes to safer transport of patients (particularly Completed in emergency interventions) and easier collection of the medical waste from the nearby collection point. Regulation of Stražavacka River Through the project was plated with stones 600 metres of the riverbanks and the riverbed, and constructed the barriers to prevent the accumulation of sediments, in the part of the town inhabited by 16,580 Euros 149,220 Euros 5,000 people, close to the Elementary School and the Sports Centre. Completed Due to the torrential nature of the river, the adjacent lots were at risk of flooding during the heavy rainfalls, while the shrubbery and rubbish created additional problems. Reconstruction of a part of the water distribution system The water supply network was reconstructed in three segments of Vojvode Mišića Street and Trg Topličkih junaka, replacing the old and 7,174 Euros 63,487 Euros harmful asbestos water pipes, which frequently broke down, thus Completed improving water supply for 1,500 people. Also, through the project was purchased equipment and tools for PUC “Gradski vodovod”. Branding of Areas Municipal Co-funding EU PROGRES funds Status FEDES Children's Art Festival EU PROGRES supported improvement of visual identity, redesign of the logo and development of promotional materials including - 2,177 Euros billboards, city light advertisements, posters and flyers, as well as Completed radio and TV ads. In 2012, 500 children from Toplica District took part in the Festival’s literary and music contests. Total for all projects 52,641 Euros 405,546 Euros LIST OF EU PROGRES PROJECTS IN PROKUPLJE Inter-municipal projects Municipal Co-funding EU PROGRES funds Status Operational Grant for the Radan Mountain Tourism Cluster The project supported the work of the Tourism Cluster of Radan for nine months, creating of a Destination Marketing Plan for five - 17,000 Euros municipalities: Prokuplje, Kuršumlija, Lebane, Bojnik and Medveđa, Completed with the intention of improving the tourist offer. Operational Grant for the South Serbia Fruit Cluster The South Serbia Fruit Cluster is a regional initiative that aims to support fruit producers in Toplica, Jablanica and Pčinja Districts for - 15,500 Euros nine months to develop the cluster network. Completed Total for all inter-municipal projects - 32,500 Euros Office in Novi Pazar Office in Prokuplje Office in Vranje Kragujevačka 1, 36300 Novi Pazar Timočka 4, 18400 Prokuplje Kneza Miloša 52, 17500 Vranje Tel: +381 (0)20 337 300, 337 301 Tel: +381 (0)27 333 125, 32 99 72 Tel: +381 (0)17 40 55 44, 40 55 45 Fax: +381 (0)20 411 032 Fax: +381 (0)27 32 99 73 Fax: +381 (0)17 40 55 46.