Slovakian Agency for International Development Aid approved of aid projects for Serbia in 2009

Slovakian Agency for International Development Aid (SAMRS) has approved of the first five aid projects for Serbia, worth 700,000 EUR. Total value of the first two rounds of Slovenian national aid for the developing countries amounts to 1.6m EUR.

Slovakian development aid, which will reach the amount of 7.5m EUR this year, is directed to three so-called programme countries, which represent priorities, and 16 so-called project countries.

- The programme countries are Afghanistan, because it is NATO's priority, Kenya, because it is EU's priority, and Serbia, because Slovakian foreign policy is focused on the Balkans - said Olga Algajerova, the State Secretary in Slovakian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Other countries of western Balkans are project countries and, during these first two rounds, the funds have been granted for five projects for development of infrastructure and technical assistance in Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which total value is 900,000 EUR.

As far as Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina are concerned, Slovakia has chosen the projects that can help it transfer its experiences related to transition period and admission into EU, with the focus on infrastructure, environment protection, support to new business activities, development of market environment and assistance in the Euro-integration process.

This year, Slovakian development aid will be distributed in nine rounds, while the next meeting of commission "Slovak aid", which selects projects, has been scheduled for August.