The Public Forum held as part of the development of the Territorial Strategy for the urban area of the cities of Kraljevo and Čačak and the municipalities of Raška, Vrnjačka Banja and Ivanjica took place today in Kraljevo under the European Union programme “EU Support for Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA”, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The representatives of local self-governments, institutions, businesses, civil society and local communities discussed a joint vision for the future development of the area and project ideas that could contribute to its achievement.
The EU INTEGRA Programme is implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which focuses its work on providing technical support for the development of territorial strategies for ten territories in Serbia, including Kraljevo and its partner local self-governments.
Emanuela Borova, member of the Kraljevo City Council, emphasised that joint planning should contribute to stronger connections among the five local self-governments, the development of a joint economic and tourism offer, and a more functional labour market.
“Our citizens cross administrative boundaries every day for work, education, healthcare and other needs, while our economies, transport routes and tourist destinations are already interconnected. The Territorial Strategy should help us further strengthen these links, facilitate the movement of people and make better use of the potential of the entire territory,” Borova said.
Bojana Bondžić from the Ministry of European Integration highlighted the Ministry’s support for establishing and strengthening capacities for integrated territorial development in Serbia. As the institution leading the EU INTEGRA Programme, the Ministry supports local self-governments through this process in strategic planning, inter-municipal cooperation and the management of EU territorial instruments, thereby creating important preconditions for the future use of EU Cohesion Policy funds.
The Public Forum was preceded by an analysis of the current situation, thematic round tables with representatives of the public, private and civil society sectors, and the definition of objectives and measures. During the Forum, participants discussed the identity of the urban area, green transition and urban mobility, an innovative and smart economy, social well-being and development governance through a plenary session and group work, with a particular focus on the future development vision and project ideas.
“One of the key aspects of this process is to enable a broader range of participants, particularly local stakeholders, to actively engage in defining the vision and project ideas and thus contribute to the future development of their territory. Building on the experience of the EU PRO Plus Programme, through EU INTEGRA we continue to develop capacities at all levels for integrated territorial development and to put the European Union territorial development instruments into practice,” said Viktor Veljović, Capacity Building Manager within the EU INTEGRA Programme component implemented by UNOPS.
The Kraljevo youngest residents were also involved in the Strategy development process. More than 40 seventh-grade students from “IV Kraljevački bataljon” Primary School and “Sveti Sava” Primary School presented their vision of the city in which they would like to grow up and live through the “My City in the Future” art competition. Public Forum participants voted for the exhibited works, after which the three best entries were announced, while the schools received certificates of appreciation for their contribution to the competition.
