EU grants EUR 5.8 million for local self-governments - Exchange 4 contracts signed

On Wednesday, the representatives of 85 local self-governments in Serbia signed contracts in Belgrade on EUR 5.8 million grants under the EU Exchange 4 program.

The projects approved for funding will be implemented in the following fields: waste management, property management, improvement of agricultural cooperation, and social care service for the elderly.

Of the total sum, EUR 4.5 million will be spent on 32 city/municipal projects, while EUR 1.3 million will be provided for the implementation of three components of the program - municipal planning, municipal finance, and the implementation of grant scheme

The EU Exchange 4 program, which began May 2013 and ends May 2015, is being implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM).

STCM Secretary General Djordje Stanicic said that three tranches of aid under that program were made available to local self-governments in Serbia in the period 2004-2013.

- It is an obligation of local self-governments to align the programs financed by the EU with national programs - said Stanicic.