EU Support for Environmental Protection and Better Services for Citizens in Western Serbia

Together with the Mayor of Novi Pazar, Nihat Biševac, di Veroli visited the Recycling Centre, which, with EU support of 370,000 euros through the EU PRO Plus programme, expanded its capacity and acquired a new automatic press that doubled the speed and quality of waste processing. A specialized truck with a compactor, as well as an electric vehicle for collecting textile waste, were also procured.

“This project shows how EU support delivers concrete results for citizens, the environment, and the local economy. With new equipment and vehicles,  the recycling centre has significantly improved the efficiency and quality of textile recycling. I would commend engaging schools, students, and the wider community, as in this manner we create lasting change in how waste is managed and the environment protected,” said Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Serbia, Mauro di Veroli.

As part of the project, numerous workshops for children and youth were organised, with the important participation of the School of Textile and Leather Design, which received new textile machines and whose students apply their knowledge of recycling in practice.

The Mayor of Novi Pazar, Nihat Biševac, underlined that the support of the European Union has significantly improved the quality of life of citizens through better conditions for education, improved healthcare services, environmental protection, and flood prevention, while local businesses have also received important support.

"Improving the capacity of the centre, with new equipment and vehicles, increases the possibility of recycling waste, which is significant for the improvement of the environment and the preservation of natural resources," Biševac said.

The Recycling Centre, managed by the public utility company “Gradska čistoća”, currently processes around 820 tonnes of waste, with plans to exceed 1,000 tonnes by the end of 2026. The company also participated in a Serbia–Montenegro cross-border cooperation project, through which 1,500 bins for primary waste separation and a specialised vehicle for glass transport were procured.

In Novi Pazar, the representative of the EU Delegation met with Mayor Nihat Biševac and representatives of the Regional Development Agency SEDA.

In the municipality of Raška, Mauro di Veroli, together with the Deputy Mayor Jovana Mutavdžić, visited a wastewater treatment plant built with EU support worth 5.2 million euros. The project also included the construction of a main sewage collector, the extension and rehabilitation of the sewer network, and the reconstruction of part of the raw water supply system.

In the settlement of Baljevac, the Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation visited a health station renovated with EU support through the EU PRO Plus programme, which now provides improved healthcare services for around 6,000 patients. With EU grants amounting to 180,000 euros, the energy efficiency of the facility was improved, windows and doors were replaced, pellet boilers were installed, access ramps for persons with disabilities were built, and medical equipment was procured.

"Successful and long-term cooperation with the municipality of Raška has resulted in projects that improve the quality of life of people, but what makes the difference here is the commitment of the people," Mauro di Veroli pointed out.

"All the projects that the European Union supported in the municipality of Raška, from the reconstruction of health facilities, environmental protection, improved social services to support vulnerable groups, brought concrete benefits to the citizens, and because of that, for us, the EU is part of our community ”, said Jovana Mutavdžić, Deputy Mayor of the municipality of Raška.