European Union support to local development in Lapovo and Smederevo

"By developing territorial strategies, through the EU PRO Plus programme, we are piloting the use of territorial development instruments the EU member states apply when using cohesion funds, which will be available to Serbia when it joins the EU," Klaucke added. As he said, this kind of integral approach to development is long-term, while it is important that as many interested parties and citizens as possible are involved in the process enabling in order to hear everyone's voice and the directions of future development are based on the widest possible consensus.

"With the EU support the City of Smederevo is preparing an urban area development strategy, with the idea of improving the sustainable development of the territory - improving the social, economic, ecological, climatic, cultural and spatial aspects of development. Today's Public Forum aims to define the vision of sustainable development of the urban area of the city of Smederevo, as well as project ideas that represent the realisation of the goals of the Strategy", said the Mayor of Smederevo, Jovan Beč.

Since the development of the strategy involves the inclusion of the widest group of local stakeholders, the EU PRO Plus programme and the City of Smederevo, in cooperation with two local primary schools - "Dr. Jovan Cvijić" and "Sveti Sava" organised an art competition for seventh grade pupils, an art competition on the topic "My city in the future". By participating in the competition, almost 50 pupils presented their vision of Smederevo in the future, and the best works according to the public forum participants were awarded.

In Smederevo, Martin Klaucke had the opportunity to see how the EU grants were invested in projects that contributed to a better life for citizens. Together with the mayor Jovan Beč, he first visited the kindergarten "Veseli cvetovi" where the energy efficiency of the facility was improved with the support of the EU, and then the industrial park where the EU helped improving the communal infrastructure.

During the morning, the representative of the EU Delegation, Martin Klaucke, together with the mayor Boban Miličić visited the central municipal square which was renovated with the support of the EU in the value of more than 130,000 Euros. The reconstruction of the square included the installation of lighting and the arrangement of the parking area.

"The reconstruction of the square in Lapovo, although it may not be a large-scale project, is extremely important for the municipality because now there is a place for people to gather and organise various manifestations, which contributes to the improvement of social cohesion in society," said Martin Klauvke after visiting the square.

"This project is of really important for Lapovo since we renovated  the central part of the municipality, which is also an open-air Railway Museum City, and at the same time we have created opportunities for the economic activities of our population and the development of our economic zones," said the Mayor of Lapovo, Boban Miličić, adding that in the coming period the municipality will work on integral development with the support of the EU. Today, there was a bazaar on the square with local producers presenting their products, and the students of "Svetozar Marković" Primary School celebrated the School Day.

In Lapovo, Klaucke also visited the company Alfanova, which is engaged in the production of paper products, and which, with the support of the EU, got new equipment that contributed to the automation of production, better product quality and the creation of new jobs.