DECENTRALIZATION OF AUTHORITIES IN CITIZENS INTEREST
25.09.2014

Vice presidents of the Government and the Minister of state government and local self government Kori Udovicki, opened the National conference `Establishing institutional mechanism for the issues of EuU in units of local self government  in Serbia`, organized by SKGO in the cooperation with the Cabinet of vice president of the Government and minister of state government and local self government and Negations for the accession to EU.

The Conference was organized in hotel Metropol Palace within the programme Support to local self governments in Serbia in the process of EU integrations financed by the Kingdom of Sweden and is implemented by SKGO. Jadranka Joksimovic, Minister for European Integration, PhD Tanja Miscevic, chief of negotiation team PhD Zoran Perisic president of SKGO and Mayor of the City of Nis, Christer Asp, the ambassador of Sweden and Michalel Devenport chief of Delegation EU in Serbia. 

According to Zoran Perisic words, president of SKGO, the objective of the organization of this conference is to present the initiative of SKGO to the elected representatives of local self governments for the establishing institutional mechanisms for the issues of EU in the units of local self government in Serbia. It is directed to the following of the activities connected to Serbia joining EU important for the local self government, support and informing of political authorities and Municipal employees about the current matters and issues in that process, as well as communication and cooperation with the other relevant institutions and organizations on local, regional, state and European levels. SKGO with the experts` support accepted analyses of various models of institutional mechanisms and models of legal acts by which certain are managed.

Dr Kori Udovicki, the vice president of the Serbian Government and Minister of state government and local self government, spoke about the measures of the Reform of state government and local self government in the context of Serbia joining EU. About the significance of the process of joining, Jadranka Joksimovic Minister for European integration pointed out. `Serbia, as a country candidate for the membership for EU, should maximally use resources that are offered by IPA Funds of EU. At the moment about 200 million Euros are available. It is important that these funds, that are available to us,  be used in one good, transparent and responsible way, emphasized Joksimovic. She recently, during her visit to Nis and  Memorial Park Bubanj, emphasized the good results of Nis Palilula Municipality and Boban Dzunic, its president, since in the best way was here understood the possibility that with using IPA funds, one should improve the quality of citizens life.

Michael Devenport, chief of the delegation of EU in Serbia, in his report about the `Importance of inclusion of local self governments in the processes at the EU and members level` specially emphasized the importance of decentralization and way of it approaching the citizens. He reminded the participants of the conference that, thanks to decentralized system of the implementation of the resources of national IPA programme of EU in Serbia was used with over 85 % and for international cooperation about 93%.

About the `Role of local self government in the process of EU integrations` spoke PhD Tanja Miscevic, chief of negotiation team of the Republic of Serbia for joining EU. She said that great number of citizens of Serbia is for the change and for reforms according to European standards. It is the sign that we are not changed towards EU, but in the understanding what is actually there good for us.

Boban Dzunic, president of Palilula Municipality, on this occasion again reminded others about the initiative of Nis City municipalities on getting bigger authorizations in Nis and getting more authorized working spheres . We are always the first in meeting our citizens, in finding solutions for their problems. Our authorities, in the last two years of governing, have showed high level of objectivity, humanity and decisiveness is solving problems of these categories  of residents, specially in time of crisis. Natural disasters, that have happened here recently, are the best test of our readiness and our role. Since we do not have appropriate status, we also lost the possibility to apply for number of projects of EU and to provide additional resources due to the degree of development of the Municipality that has more than 80 000 residents.