Minister of European Integration Nemanja Starović presented today the representatives of institutions and organisations from Serbia with 30 grant agreements for the national co-financing of projects under European Territorial Cooperation Programmes. For this purpose, the Ministry of European Integration has allocated a total of RSD 35 million, representing approximately three percent of the Serbian partners' total budget, specifically to cover a portion of the funds required for their own contribution to the projects.
This is the first time that the Ministry of European Integration is directly supporting partners from Serbia by using national budget funds to secure their participation in European Territorial Cooperation projects.
“This is an important step forward for the Ministry of European Integration and our partners throughout Serbia. For the first time, we have established a mechanism to assist our partners directly from the national budget in securing the funds necessary for their participation in European Union projects. Today, we are supporting 30 concrete projects with RSD 35 million,” stated Minister Starović.
The Ministry received 71 applications in response to the public call – a figure which, as Starović pointed out, demonstrates that there are numerous institutions, local self-government units, public bodies, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in Serbia who recognize the importance of European Territorial Cooperation and wish to implement projects of significance to their communities through partnerships with institutions from other European countries.
“It is not just about the sum we are allocating. The key point here is that relatively limited national funds can enable our partners to participate in projects of significantly higher value, implemented in cooperation with partners from the European Union and the region. In this way, every dinar of national support contributes to securing significantly larger funds and generating concrete results,” the minister emphasised.
The supported projects are being implemented under eight European Territorial Cooperation Programmes, including cross-border cooperation programmes between Serbia and Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia and North Macedonia, as well as transnational and interregional programmes.
They cover various areas of importance to citizens and local communities: healthcare and social welfare services, environmental protection, resilience to climate change and natural risks, tourism and culture, digital transformation, innovation, energy transition, sustainable development and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Minister emphasised that the Ministry’s goal is for the established national support mechanism to continue developing in the coming years.
“We want this to be the beginning of a mechanism that we will be able to further develop in the future. The successful implementation of these 30 agreements will be the best confirmation that this type of national support is needed, and that it yields concrete results in local communities throughout Serbia,” said Starović.
Among the recipients of the funds are the Gerontology Centre Kikinda, “Dr. Đorđe Lazić” Healthcare Centre in Sombor, Cultural Centre in Pirot, PE “Vojvodinašume”, Public Library in Merošina, Scientific Veterinary Institute “Novi Sad”, Municipality of Bojnik, Municipality of Kanjiža, Municipality of Čajetina, Proaktiv from Niš, Regional Economic Development Agency for Šumadija and Pomoravlje, Regional Development Agency Bačka, Regional Development Agency Zlatibor, Regional Development Agency South, Regional Development Agency Srem, Tourism Organisation of Vojvodina, Tourism Organisation Leskovac, Tourism Organisation Merošina, Tourism Organisation of the Municipality of Medveđa, Gardeners’ Association from Senta, Association for Tourism Development and the Panjan Cluster from Senta, Association of Business Women in Serbia, Pro Scientia Naturae Foundation from Senta, and the Centre for the Development of Jablanica and Pčinja Districts.
