During his first official visit to Nis, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Sem Fabrizi was acquainted with projects implemented successfully by the EU in Nis. Among the topics of the visit was the European Year of Cultural Heritage and cultural and historic importance of the city.

Representatives of the local Development and Project Office made a presentation of successful projects. “Thanks to EU grants, we have constructed a modern clinical centre and will reconstruct the Nis-Dimitrovgrad railway line. Another project worth mentioning is the construction of wastewater treatment facility as well as the EUR1.237,000-worth of grants invested in building apartments for the most vulnerable members of the Roma community,” said Darko Bulatovic the Mayor of Nis. “Knowing that towns and municipalities will be responsible for drafting as many as 75 per cent of legislation, we assign a major role to local self-governments on our journey toward the great goal of EU membership,” Ambassador Fabrizi said.

Following the meeting at the Mayor’s Office, Ambassador Fabrizi and his hosts took a tour through downtown Nis and learned more about the rich history of that city. He also paid a visit to the archaeological exhibition of the National Museum in Nis, followed by a visit to the EU Info Point and Aleksandar Markovic’s exhibition Dehumanization dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust. Together with city officials and the Dean of the Faculty of Electronic Engineering Dragan Jankovic, Fabrizi toured the Start Up Centre of the Faculty – the first segment of the science and technological park for which the European Investment Bank has allocated EUR15,2 million. Students brought Ambassador closer to technological innovation they had come up with, such as the smart phone mobile app “52 weekends in Serbia”. Head of the EU Delegation also had a chance to pay a virtual visit to several monasteries in the vicinity of Nis thanks to a 3D presentation. “Today, at this Faculty, I did not see the future, I saw the present – numerous young researchers developing their ideas. At our disposal we have many instruments to support science and innovation, such as Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020,” Fabrizi said. The Dean of the Faculty said that “by investing in the science and technological park, youths in Nis and the region will reach the level of their counterparts in universities in the EU, and even exceed them.”

Ambassador ended his visit by taking part in a debate titled “Ask me anything about the EU,” organized by the European Movement in Serbia within the project Europe for Me. Ambassador Fabrizi talked to the citizens for more than an hour, answering their questions concerning decentralization, human rights, opportunities for farmers, the negotiating process, and bringing them closer to the Western Balkans Enlargement Strategy.

February 13^th

Тhe round table gathering the representatives of the cities and municipalities on the topic of  Internal Dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija was held in Nis. Dusanka Golubovic, the president of SCTM and the Mayor of Sombor, on this occasion pointed out the gathering was organized with the desire to start a dialogue on how to share the knowledge and experience of cities and municipalities with the municipalities from Kosovo and Metohija. The round table was also attended by Minister of State Administration and Local Government Branko Ruzićc and the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric. On behalf of the City of Niš Mayor Darko Bulatovic welcomed the audience. “Times require local self-governments to take part of the burden and responsibility for state and national politics and protection of interests,” said Marko Djuric on this occasion.