September 9^th

Neda Jovanovic from Nis is the 18^th child in a row who received the help from the initiative Collect Corks – Bring Smiles within which the funds were collected for the purchase of children’s wheelchair and a bathing chair for this little girl. Little Neda suffers from cerebral paralyses and microcephaly, and this aids will make everyday life easier for her. Deputy Nis City Mayor Milos Bandjur said that every responsible government had an obligation to support an action that promotes goodness, humanity and solidarity. “The value of this action is much higher than the material value. It looks at promoting goodness in society, in activating all potential, and in raising awareness that we need to help each other,” Bandjur said. Vanja Petkovic, the president of this association, pointed out that it was necessary to collect 4 tons of caps and corks for the purchase of supplies for Neda, and that the activists of this association and the citizens of Serbia have so far collected 100 tons and helped many more children in need. She emphasized that the essence of this action was to unite everyone and through ecology and environmental protection, teach children to have empathy towards others, to people with disabilities, and to learn how to help each other.

September 9^th

The hotel capacities in Nis will be increased from next year as the reconstruction of the Hotel Park and the Hotel Ambassador will be completed, as it has been announced by the owners of these facilities on the occasion of Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic visiting the construction sites. Both of these hotels were previously owned by the Company Srbijaturist, but due to the unsuccessful privatization of that company for years they were without guests and in a very bad condition. Andrija Radojicic, the new owner of the Park Hotel, announced that this hotel, which was built in 1936, would be returned to the old splendor most likely by the end of this year. He also announced new contents such as spa center, congress hall, sightseeing and panoramic elevator and this will be five-star hotel. Ivan Spasic, the owner of the company My Place Group who is the new owner of the Ambassador Hotel, emphasized that the reconstruction of this hotel would be completed next year, by the end of April, and that the opening was planned for May. It will be five-star hotel. Out of the former 140 rooms, after the reconstruction there will be 58 studios, 10 apartments and two presidential suites of 85m2. It will also have new facilities, such as a spa center, conference facilities and a billiard room, as well as a parking plot with 35 slots. According to the announcements of the owners, the renovation of both hotels will cost five million euros and will provide the opening of 200 new jobs. On the occasion of visiting the construction sites, Mayor Bulatovic said that the city needed new hotel capacities because Nis was the center of this part of Serbia. He pointed out that the local government helped with the construction permit for the Hotel Ambassador, because the usage permit was never obtained for the old building.

September 9^th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic signed today the contracts with 11 refugees from Bosnia and Croatia on grants in the amount of 200,000 dinars for starting their own business. The value of the project to help refugees and displaced persons is 4 million, and the city provides 10 percent. The signing of the contract was preceded by the competition, after which these 11 persons were selected because at this moment their projects were the most realistic ones. According to the Nis City Council Member for Social Policy Tijana Djordjevic Ilic the City of Nis is doing everything to help these people, and what is happening today is an indicator of these efforts. Today, we are implementing projects that were signed in 2015. We are implementing them today thanks to the good will of the Commissariat that has annexed all contracts so that persons who are in the status of refugees or IDPs will get a roof over the head.  This kind of assistance has been provided to 80 beneficiaries so far.