€100 million to be invested in south of Serbia in 2007
Serbian Minister of Finance Mladjan Dinkic announced today in Vlasotince that €100 million will be set aside for the development of 13 municipalities of the Jablanica and Pcinj districts in 2007. In a meeting with representatives of the 13 municipalities, Dinkic said that in 2007 Serbia will substantially increase the funding of its south, on condition that developmental projects of the Republic and local authorities are better coordinated and selected. The Minister announced that the Coordinating Body for municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja will receive €12 million, or twice as much as this year.
Co-financing of joint projects in these three municipalities will also be increased in cooperation with international financial organisations, he announced. Dinkic said that at least €40 million from the National Investment Plan must be invested in the development of the districts of Jablanica and Pcinj. The south of Serbia is underdeveloped, which is why this region needs more investments in order to secure a more balanced regional development, he said.
The meeting was also be attended by president and vice president of the Serbian Coordinating Body for Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja Rasim Ljajic and Nenad Popovic, when the Statute for the development of the districts of Jablanica and Pcinj was signed. After Vlasotince, the Minister of Finance will visit Leskovac.