The Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, Marija Obradović, and the Ambassador of Switzerland to Serbia, Urs Schmidt, signed a Memorandum of Understanding related to the implementation of the third phase of the program, which will be implemented until 2025.

“In the next four years, the Government of Switzerland will support almost 100 cities and municipalities throughout Serbia in the domain of property tax reform, as well as promoting citizen participation and decision-making in the decision-making process concerning local budgets. Through the “Accountable Local Finances and Citizen Participation” program, we want to help local governments in organizing their real estate databases, as well as to empower citizens to participate more actively in decisions on how money from local budgets is spent. The entire program is worth 5.2 million Swiss francs,” said Ambassador Urs Schmid after signing the memorandum.

Minister Obradović and Ambassador Schmid invited all interested representatives of local self-governments in Serbia to apply for a public competition that will be announced in the coming period, in order to receive support for the improvement of democratic practices and services that are oriented towards citizens.

Photo: MPALSG/Sanja Knežević

“Serbia and Switzerland will support 100 units of local self-government in Serbia to make progress in the area of local finance reform, to administer their revenues more efficiently, but also to cooperate more with citizens when it comes to making decisions about the spending of budget funds locally,” said Minister Marija Obradović. after signing the memorandum.

The program “Municipal Economic Development in Eastern Serbia” – phase 3 is supported by the Swiss Government through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in cooperation with MPALSG and SCTM, and implemented by the international organization HELVETAS.

Photo: MPALSG/Sanja Knežević