30 local self-governments selected upon competitions for the award of support packages within the EU Exchange 6 Programme

In the scope of EU Exchange 6 Programme – „Enhancing credibility of planning, programme-based budgeting and control in execution of public expenditures at local level in Serbia“, upon the public call for selection of local self-governments (LSGs), a total of 67 applications were received for the award of support packages in three areas: for elaboration of the LSG Development Plan; for elaboration of LSG Mid-term Plan; and for improvement capital projects’ planning and budgeting. In line with published Guidelines, public call was announced in the period from From February 23^rd until March 23^rd, 2022.

Based on the proposal of the Committees for evaluation and selection, and subsequently on the consent by the Programme Steering Committee, following LSGs are selected per respective competitions:

• Within the Competition for the award of support packages for elaboration of LSG Development Plans, a total of twelve (12) LSGs are selected, as follows: Boljevac, Vrnjacka Banja, Krupanj, Kraljevo, Veliko Gradiste, Pozarevac, Krusevac, Smederevska Palanka, Sabac, Surdulica, Gadzin Han and Cacak;
• Within the Competition for the award of support packages for elaboration of LSG Mid-term Plans, a total of ten (10) LSGs are selected, as follows: Municipalities of Bela Palanka, Razanj, Novi Pazar, Merosina, Nis, Raska, Sombor, Kanjiza, Backa Topola and Aleksinac;
• Within the Competition for the award of support packages for improving the capital projects’ planning and budgeting in LSGs, a total of nine (9) LSGs are selected, as follows: Pirot, Vranje, Pozarevac, Kragujevac, Petrovac na Mlavi, Sremska Mitrovica, Prijepolje, Leskovac and Arandjelovac.

While it was originally planned that the EU Exchange 6 Programme would support 30 LSGs with 30 support packages, given the significant interest and satisfactory quality of applications, it was decided to increase the number of support packages to 31, in proportion to the interest of LSGs for areas defined by competitions and available Programme resources.

Support packages will be implemented on the basis of Cooperation Agreements to be concluded with each selected LSGs, within a tentative timeline of 12 months duration. Support includes providing expertise through direct work with LSG on preparation of defined planning documents and organizing accompanying procedural activities and capacity building for LSG.

Implementation of the support packages concerning elaboration of LSG Development and Mid-term Plans, capital planning and budgeting and transparent budget management, will be based on reform and legal requirements, prescribed methodologies, as well as good practices and available manuals and instructions. In accordance with the design of the Programme and the Guidelines for the call, complementary support is envisaged for the introduction of public budget portals for 10 LSGs among the ones selected upon competitions.

We are pleased to congratulate to the selected LSGs, and to express our gratitude to all LSGs that participated in the competitions, and thus have acknowledged the importance and quality of support that the SCTM provides to towns and municipalities by means of EU funds in the scope of the Programme, in increasing the credibility of planning, programme budgeting and control of public expenditures at the local level in Serbia.

Advisory support local development planning and mid-term planning, and planning and budgeting of capital projects is available to all LSGs in Serbia via SCTM within the EU Exchange 6 Programme. When it comes to direct support in the form of support packages for LSGs, another public call will be announced towards mid-2023, which will also include three competitions for respective areas, and will enable assistance in similar extent by selecting new LSGs.

The EU Exchange 6 Programme is financed by the European Union in the scope of IPA 2019 national allocation, and is being implemented in the direct management regime, implying that the EU Delegation in Serbia entails principal management powers. The key competent line institutions at the national level are the Ministry of Finance and the Public Policy Secretariat, along with the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and Ministry of European Integration. As in previous phases of the Exchange Programme, the SCTM has the role of implementing partner and direct responsibility for the implementation of planned Programme activities.

More information on the EU Exchange 6 Programme available at: http://www.skgo.org/projects/details/63/eu-exchange-6.