After the signing of the Financial Agreement for the second part of the 2020 IPA Action Programme, Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimović has said that it is the continuation of the work Serbia has with the EU regarding Serbia’s implementation of and preparation for the cohesion policy and EU structural funds once it becomes an EU member.
The Minister has explained that, as a candidate country and country in the accession process, Serbia has access to pre-accession funds, which it has been using for the past 10 years in a responsible, transparent and efficient way.
“We have demonstrated our capacities and knowledge, but we have also raised the visibility of those programmes”, said Joksimović, thanking Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for supporting such events with his presence.
With regard to today’s signing, Joksimović has recalled that it is the continuation of what was signed on 29 May 2020, when the first part of the IPA Action Programme was signed, in the amount of EUR 72.45 million, of which the EU’s contribution was EUR 70.20 million, while the amount of national financing was EUR 2.25 million.
Joksimović has stressed that EUR 86.06 million in grants has been signed today, which brings the total amount for the realisation of 2020 IPA Programme to EUR 156.26 million in grants.
According to her, the EU grants from the second part of the IPA package are intended for the support to environmental protection, for which the largest amount has been allocated – EUR 45.5 million.
Joksimović has said that these funds will be used to support the construction of the systems for the collection and treatment of waste water in Čačak, Loznica and Sokobanja, and for the implementation of preparation activities for the construction of a waste management facility in Novi Sad, for which EUR 5 million has been allocated.
In addition, the funds will be invested into the water and air quality monitoring system, and into supporting the realisation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.
“As regards the energy sector, which is an important part of the Green Deal, special focus is placed on energy efficiency”, said Joksimović, adding that EUR 9 million will be allocated for this purpose, specifically for the reconstruction and modernisation of public buildings in Belgrade and other local self-governments, primarily with a view to reducing the emission of harmful gases.Joksimović has stated that EUR 17 million will be used for the support to improving competitiveness, which entails support to underdeveloped and less developed municipalities in Serbia in the area of local economic development, local entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship, including everything that should lead to a balanced regional development.
The Minister has noted that EUR 1.5 million has been allocated for the support to accessibility of public buildings, which means improved accessibility for people with disabilities and reduced mobility.
According to her, the funds have been allocated for the regular process of European integration, negotiations, budgeting, participation in the COSME programme and Horizon 2020.
“These are concrete things, these funds were programmed for specific purposes, it is intended for specific sectors that we deem extremely important. It seems to me that this coincides well with the project Serbia 2020–2025”, said Joksimović.
Source: Tanjug
