Belgrade, Medvedja – Aleksandar Antic, Minister of Mining and Energy of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, and representatives of 13 local self-governments signed, on the premises of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), contracts on grants, which total over 80 million dinars, for co-financing the projects for improving energy efficiency in the public buildings that are in their area of responsibility. The total amount allocated from the Budget Fund for Energy Efficiency Improvements is 25 million dinars, as well as the amount of 500,000 US dollars (57.5 million dinars) from the Global Environment Fund (GEF), which was provided through the UNDP.

According to Minister Antic, the objectives of the program are to reduce, by 2019, the final energy consumption by nine percent.

Karla Hershey, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia, stressed that the UNDP strongly supported energy efficiency programs in Serbia. The funds were allocated on the basis of a public invitation announced to the ocal self-governments by the Ministry of Mining and Energy last October.

A multi-member committee, which was composed of representatives of the Ministry of Mining and Energy and the UNDP, evaluated the received project proposals according to the set criteria, among which the most important was the reduction of CO2 emissions after project implementation.

13 best projects, which met the requirements of the public call, were selected, including the project of the municipality of Medvedja.

The aim of the project, which runs until December 2020, is to increase investment in energy efficiency in public buildings and utilities, as well as improve their energy and cost efficiency by using good governance.

The project will include further work on improving the legislative framework and capacity building at central and local levels for the implementation of energy management.

Source: Info Center South and Coordination Body