The Pirot Flat Sausage Fair marked opening of the new fair venue in Pirot

The European Union supported the establishment of this multifunctional facility in Pirot with almost 170,000 Euros provided through the EU PRO Plus, which is implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. In this way, Pirot, which participated in the project with almost 30,000 Euros, now has a modern and adequate fairground. With the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Youth of 9.79 million Dinars, and the city's participation of 2.93 million Dinars, electrical installations and lighting were completed, while the German government, through the project "Centre for Innovative Social Policy Measures" implemented by GIZ, helped equip the upper annex of the building and purchase fair stands worth about 1.9 million Dinars.

"Pirot is a city that has always had a long-term development vision, and the Ministry of European Integration has been a partner of Pirot in fulfilling these development goals for many years through the EU funded programmes. Through territorial and cross-border cooperation projects with Bulgaria, as well as the EU PRO Plus local development programme Pirot has been implementing important projects, such as the continuation of the reconstruction of the Kale fortress, the reconstruction of the school in Temska, small and medium-sized enterprises have been supported, and today we are opening a new fairground. Through the EU PRO Plus programme alone, the EU, in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration, supported eight projects worth 1.7 million Euros," said Sanda Šimić, Acting Assistant Minister of European Integration for European Territorial Cooperation Programmes. She added that support to the City of Pirot and neighboring local self-governments will continue and emphasised her satisfaction at seeing so many exhibitors of traditional regional products and visitors in the new fair venue.

This year's Fair gathered over 30 exhibitors, producers of the Pirot flat sausages, as well as numerous local dairy producers, distilleries, wineries and agricultural households from Pirot and the surrounding area.

"In the last three years, the Ministry of Tourism and Youth has allocated 55.5 million Dinars for infrastructure projects so that the city of Pirot, a beautiful city, and the surrounding area can get a new look. It is important that the city has recognised that tourism is an important economic sector with the need to promote its potential. The data shows that Pirot and the surrounding area have 120,000 overnight stays," said Višnja Rakić, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Youth.

"The fair venue we are opening  today is important for the development of our local economy and agricultural production, but in addition to today's flat sausage fair, we will also organise various tourist and cultural events here, including the Book Fair," said Mayor Vladan Vasić. He underlined that Pirot is increasingly working on developing its tourism potential and that the priority in the coming period will be gastronomic tourism, highlighting the beauty of the Mountain Stara Planina, and religious and transit tourism.