As part of the European Union's support for local communities in Serbia, a project focused on energy efficiency and sustainable development is currently being implemented in Užice, Čajetina, Bajina Bašta, and Požega.
Thanks to EU grants exceeding 1.3 million euros, provided through the EU PRO Plus programme, solar power plants are being installed and green solutions introduced on public buildings.
Final works are already underway on the installation of solar panels at the municipal swimming pool in Užice and on the building of the public utility company "Zlatibor" in Čajetina.
In Zlatibor, a green façade is being installed on buildings within the Tourist and Recreational Complex, while in the next phase, solar power plants will also be mounted on the sports hall in Bajina Bašta, the former barracks building in Krčagovo, Užice, and the National Theatre building.
The Ljubo Mićić agricultural school in Požega is also involved in the project. In addition to receiving a solar installation, the school has gained a new ornamental plant nursery. Pupils now have the opportunity to study and work with 2,600 seedlings imported from the Netherlands, learning about landscape architecture and horticulture, while also contributing to the strengthening of the local green infrastructure.
The project is led by the Zlatibor Regional Development Agency and it forms part of a broader urban development strategy for western Serbia.
The goal is to reduce the electricity costs of public facilities through the use of renewable energy sources - savings on electricity bills are estimated at between 48 and 95 percent - while also significantly decreasing fossil fuel consumption and improving environmental quality.
This is just one of a total of 18 integrated development projects that the EU is financing in Serbia with over 9.6 million euros. Support continues through the new EU INTEGRA programme, worth 15 million euros, aimed at modernising local governments through the application of European models of sustainable development.
The programme is implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SKGO) and UNOPS, in cooperation with the Ministry for European Integration.
