Јadranka Јoksimović IPA programmes substantial ЕU aid for development of our country
Jadranka Joksimović the Minister of European Integration assessed today that 70 million euros of non-refundable donations which EU assigned to Serbia are substantial help from the Union aimed at our country’s development, and she emphasized that this has only been the first allocation for 2020, so that she expects that an agreement for the second part of allocation worth 98 million euros will be signed soon.
Јoksimović said that the mentioned donations will help with reduction of regional inequalities in our country and added that with that money and measures of responsible economic policy as led by Serbian Government, and which has brought us, as she said, not far behind the European average, we stand a chance to keep that trend in the upcoming years, and even to accelerate it.
After signing the Financial Agreement for the first part of the IPA programme for 2020 in the amount of 70.2 million euros in grants, Joksimović said that the areas that will be supported from this programme are related to local economic development, economic support, employment and especially categories that are difficult to employ
Also, the first part for 2020 will support education, greater accessibility to the education system, especially vulnerable groups and children with special needs, health, which is important in the post-pandemic period, social protection at the national and local level.
The second part, 98 million euros, as Joksimovic said, will refer to environmental protection projects, energy, large infrastructure projects, but also to support the European integration process in terms of negotiating chapters..
“As we treat the money of the citizens of Serbia responsibly, so we treat the money of the EU taxpayers responsibly,” Joksimović pointed out.
The Minister assessed that today, as every year since 2014, is one of the most important days on Serbia’s European path, as well as for the understanding of our citizens of the importance of our EU path.
According to her, if Serbia were an EU member today, we would have around 1.3 billion euros annually from the structural funds, and thus, as a candidate country, we received 1.3 billion euros from the pre-accession negotiations in seven years.
“I am glad that today we can bring to an end the seven-year period of pre-accession funds intended for Serbia, which is deep in the accession process,” said Joksimović.
She stated that this type of assistance dates back to before 2014, and added that until then it was less visible i.e. that the visibility was below five percent.
“Now every third citizen in Serbia knows about a project funded by EU funds – local school, road, kindergarten, large projects such as water treatment plants, which is an important segment for understanding our citizens why the European road is important,” Joksimović said.
She pointed out that since 2014; she had the support of the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, so that all projects that apply for those funds are projects that are strategically important for Serbia, for the development of the country, the citizens.
She also had the support for these projects to be well prepared, and not a product of political fantasies and needs, but something that is really prepared, ready and can benefit the citizens of Serbia.
She thanked President Vučić for such a long-term approach, which, as she says, is not always popular among politicians.
Source: Tanjug
The news is taken from the website of the Ministry of European Integration of the Republic of Serbia:
https://www.mei.gov.rs/srp/vesti/2052/189/335/detaljnije/j-joksimovic-ipa-programi-konkretna-pomoc-eu-za-razvijanje-nase-zemlje/
