Sweden Donates Three Million Euros to Serbia for EU Negotiations in the Environmental Sector

The Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency have signed a Cooperation Agreement for the Program "Preparation for Negotiations in the Process of Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union, in the Field of Environmental Protection - ENVAP 3". For its implementation, the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden will donate three million euros to the Government of Serbia.

The Program will be directed towards supporting the responsible Ministry, the negotiation group for preparation of negotiations, the Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the implementation of communication strategies necessary for the successful realization of the Program.

"Ecology is a very important area that needs to be continuously and thoroughly addressed and which requires coordinated action of all relevant institutions, as well as the citizens themselves. The donation from the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden, valued at approximately three million euros, is intended to help the Government of Serbia on its path of European integration. Considering that Chapter 27, concerning environmental protection, is one of the most expensive and demanding chapters in the negotiation process, it is very important that this aid is used properly and directed towards solving important problems in this area. The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden invests about 100 million euros in total development aid to Serbia because it is in the interest of both countries and is strategic support for Serbia on its path to the EU", emphasized H.E. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of Sweden to Serbia.

To date, the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden has provided more assistance to Serbia than any other EU member state when it comes to solving environmental protection problems, and this donation is a continuation of their selfless support to our country.

"Although the environment is a complex chapter, the Government of Serbia and the responsible Ministry received the support of the European Commission this March, with the help of international and domestic experts, which recommended the opening of Chapter 27, without opening benchmarks. We know that after the chapter opens, the most important work awaits us, so the financial assistance from the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden is more than precious to us, as good preparation for negotiations is vital for their success. The complexity of these negotiations is also evidenced by the fact that we face significant work in the sectors of water supply, waste management, wastewater, and industrial pollution, in which over 10 billion euros will be invested in the next 25 years", said Stana Božović, State Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia adopted four agreements in the field of environment this year – Support for Environmental Infrastructure Development (EISP), Priority Environmental Infrastructure Development Program (PEID), Chemicals Management, and the Program for Preparation for Negotiations in the Process of Accession to the EU in the Field of Environmental Protection (ENVAP 3). At today's conference, a Cooperation Agreement for the "ENVAP 3" Program was officially signed between the responsible Ministry and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, signed by Stana Božović, State Secretary of the Ministry, and Ulrik Vestman, a high representative of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.

Considering that Serbia faces numerous challenges on its path to the European Union, it is very important for the public to become familiar with the Program concerning preparation for the negotiation process. "An important component of this Program is also communication with citizens, in order to increase the visibility of reforms in various segments of the environment. The media will play a key role in this, as it is necessary to bring citizens closer to the importance of environmental protection and to inform them about the results of negotiations in this area", stated Srđan Majstorović, Deputy Director of the Office for European Integration.