At the Public Forum held today in Požarevac as part of the development of the Territorial Strategy for the urban area of the City of Požarevac and the municipalities of Veliko Gradište, Golubac, Žabari, Žagubica, Kučevo, Malo Crniće and Petrovac na Mlavi, representatives of local self-governments, institutions, and the local community discussed a shared vision for the future development of the territory.
The development of the Territorial Strategy is supported by the European Union through the EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA programme, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The Programme is implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). Under the part of the Programme implemented by UNOPS, local self-governments receive technical support for the development of territorial strategies and capacity building for the application of integrated territorial development instruments in line with the European Union Cohesion Policy.
Požarevac Mayor Saša Pavlović noted that the eight local self-governments of the Braničevo District have diverse but interconnected development potential, ranging from energy and agriculture and the Danube to rich natural and cultural heritage and important tourist sites.
“This diversity gives us an opportunity to develop what each local community has to offer as part of a broader whole. By connecting economic potential and tourism assets, we can build a more competitive economy and a more distinctive tourism offer for the entire territory. A more functional labour market and better transport connectivity can facilitate people’s mobility and access to jobs and services. The Strategy will help us identify common interests and translate them into quality project ideas that can contribute to sustainable development and a better quality of life for citizens,” said Mayor of Požarevac. He also underlined the partnership with the Braničevo-Podunavlje Regional Development Agency in the process of developing the Territorial Strategy.
Bojana Bondžić from the Ministry of European Integration noted that strengthening the capacities of local self-governments to strategically guide development and prepare projects is an important part of Serbia’s preparations for the future use of the European Union Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund.
“The development of a territorial strategy is the first step, as it establishes a clear strategic framework for the development of the territory, based on its needs, challenges and potential. The next important step is to translate the identified priorities into concrete, well-prepared integrated projects that bring together different sectors and can contribute to achieving the objectives of the Strategy. Through the EU INTEGRA programme, local self-governments are gaining practical experience in this process, which is also important for Serbia’s further preparations for the future use of the European Union Structural Funds and the Cohesion Fund,” Bondžić said.
“The participatory approach is applied throughout the entire process of developing the territorial strategy, from the analysis of the current situation and thematic discussions with local stakeholders to the definition of objectives and measures. The Public Forum brings a broader range of participants into the discussion on the shared development vision and project ideas, allowing the results achieved so far to be further considered and complemented. Through EU INTEGRA, ten territories are developing territorial strategies, continuing the approach previously piloted in Serbia through the EU PRO Plus programme,” said Viktor Veljović, Capacity Development Manager within the part of the EU INTEGRA programme implemented by UNOPS.
Pupils from two primary schools in Požarevac, “Kralj Aleksandar I” and “Desanka Maksimović”, have also been included in the Strategy development process. Through the “My City in the Future” art competition, they illustrated how they envision the community in which they want to grow up and live. Their works were displayed at the Public Forum, where participants voted to select the three best entries.
