The Member of the Nis City City Council Mihajlo Zdravković signed the contract for the implementation of the project under the grant scheme Exchange 5 – EU support to local governments in the field of property management in Belgrade today. The RoS Minister of State Administration and Local Government Branko Ružić and RoS Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimović, as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Finance and Secretary General of the SCTM, Djordje Stanicic, attended the signing ceremony of the contract with the representatives of local self-governments whose projects were elected.

In order to increase the efficiency and transparency of the public administration through the improvement of property management, the City of Nis will, in partnership with the Municipality of Cuprija, implement the project “Efficient and Effective Property Management in Nis and Cuprija through the Introduction of the Geographic Information System”. The goal of the project is to create conditions for improving property management through the inventory and legalization of public property in Nis and Cuprija and increasing the transparency of public administration work, introducing and developing the Geographic Information System and creating an application for GIS. In this way public administration will be closer to the citizens and the business community.

Both Nis and Cuprija have a large number of different real estates, but without precise and legally relevant data. Bearing in mind that efficient management of public property is imposed as a priority requirement in the process of development and modernization, the partners jointly developed a project proposal to solve the identical problems that are encountered in this area. Nis and Cuprija intend to provide rational use and management of property in accordance with the Law on Public Property and the Law on Planning and Construction and to put the property in the function of investing and increasing the revenues of local self-government. In these two cities, currently, there is not any integrated system that connects all services and record and process data on real estate in public ownership. The existing approach does not give positive results, so we are faced with unregistered and unclassified property, irrational use of space and objects, relatively low rates of rent, using property without appropriate fees, lack of organization and professional staff and non-transparent and non-functional work of local administration.

The implementation of the project in Nis and Cuprija will create unique databases of integrated records for the entire property, together with applications for all aspects and property management processes. The specificity in connecting Nis and Cuprija is in the introduction and development of GIS as a software package that will integrate complete data on property and provide access to them for internal departments as well as for the citizens and potential investors. The use of this property management model owned by Nis and Cuprija means strengthening administrative capacities and more efficient property management, increasing revenue, better control of costs, better risk management and adequate asset maintenance. As inefficient use of public property costs all citizens, partner cities expect that, after the implementation of planned project activities, there will be a reduction in costs and an increase in revenues from property owned by two local governments.

The beneficiaries of the project are, first of all, the administrations of the local self-governments of Nis and Cuprija, i.e., the departments and services dealing with public property management, as well as the competent republic authorities. The project should contribute to the acquisition of new knowledge and skills of employees in local self-governments, which will result in more comprehensive fulfillment of their work tasks and improvement of work, and consequently, in providing better quality services to the citizens of Nis and Cuprija. It is of paramount importance to potential investors who will be able to obtain faster information about targeted locations, as well as for citizens who, as end-users, need a reliable, accountable and open administration. Improving the management of public assets and finances creates the possibility for savings in the budget as well as conditions for sustainable local economic development.

The project is EU-funded (IPA 2014) through the Exchange5 Program – EU Support to Local Governments in Property Management. The program is implemented by the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government in cooperation with the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) as the implementing partner of the program and the Ministry of Finance (the Sector for Contracting and Financing Programs from EU funds) as the Contracting Authority in the program.

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with the Ambassador of South Korea Hyoung-chan CHOE at Nis City Hall. This is the first official visit of the Ambassador to Nis since the beginning of his term of the office in November 2018. On this occasion Mayor Bulatovic presented the economic potentials of this city. Two large companies from South Korea, Yura Corporation and Shinwon, already operate in Nis, so it has been jointly estimated that it is necessary to further improve the cooperation between the city and the management of these companies. Both companies showed great corporate responsibility towards the community providing support to many local projects, cultural events and donating medical equipment to local health care facilities.

CHINESE DELEGATION IN NIS                                                                  

January 20^th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic with his associates met with the Chinese state-economic delegation at Nis City Hall. The Chinese delegation visited Nis, as part of a visit to Serbia organized by the Wanli Think Thank Association from Beijing. The delegation was led by Mr. Zhao Yue, the Secretary General. The visit of the delegation to Serbia is the result of the cooperation with the Center for Intercultural Communication and Mediation Konflaks whose president is the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Mr. Ivan Mrkic. The possibilities for cooperation were analyzed at the meeting and the investment opportunities were presented as well as the possible participation of the delegation of Chinese businessmen at this year’s Nis Advanced Technology Forum.

COOPERATION BETWEEN GIRONDE AND NIS IN EDUCATING YOUNG FIREFIGHTERS January 17^th

The reception was held at Nis City Hall for the guests from Gironde (France) within the framework of the cooperation project between the Gironde fire department and Nis Administrative and Business Secondary School that educates future firemen. The delegation was led by Maryse Dusselier, the Head   of the Department for International Relations, joined by Captain Vincent Latorre, the officer from the department for firefighting training, and Jacques Loche, the director of the college Champs-d ’Eymet à Pellegrue. The guests from France were received by Mr. Sasa Zivic, the Nis City Council Member and Mr. Milos Milosevic, the Assistant Mayor. The meeting was also attended by Honorary Consul of France in Serbia, Mr. Sasa Miljkovic, and the representatives of the Nis Administrative and Business Secondary School. The total value of this project is about 17 thousand euros, and the school from Nis is in charge of its technical implementation with the support of the Nis City Municipality Medijana. In the first year this project will focus on the exchange of French and Serbian professional associates in the training of students for the profile of volunteer firefighters. The delegation from Gironde will donate to Nis Administrative and Business Secondary School the necessary funds for implementation of practical classes for the educational profile of fire protection technician.

January 12^th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with the management of the Naisus Youth Philharmonic and the soloists performing at this year’s traditional New Year’s concert. Mayor Bulatovic pointed out that it was a real pleasure to see that even at this time, when the so-called “popular music” was absolutely dominant, the classical music still had its audience, and the traditional New Year’s concert has been proving it for years. That is precisely why this event is included in the line of public city events that are supported by the City of Nis, because the city without culture is like a body without soul,” said Bulatovic. The director, founder and conductor of the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra Naisus Zoran Andric said that the citizens of Nis would be able to enjoy an unforgettable and unique event. “Twelve soloists, six sopranos and six tenors in one place, at one concert, are something that has never been seen anywhere in the world. That is exactly why we decided to hold a concert with 12 soloists on January 12^th, before the Orthodox New Year, and to introduce a unique program that will be remembered for a long time, “said Andric. The guest coming from Italy, Argentina, Austria, Armenia, during the meeting with the Mayor, spoke about their impressions about the city and their expectations for Saturday’s concert. Marco Frusoni, one of the most respected Italian tenors, who has performed several times at the New Year’s concert in Nis, thanked the hosts for the warm welcome on the behalf of the performers.

January 11^th

By laying flower wreaths at the Monument to Liberators in the center of Nis, the Day of the liberation of Nis from the Turks, January 11^th, was marked. On this day when Nis, after almost five centuries of Turkish rule, was liberated 181 years ago from Ottoman slavery, Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic, the President of the City of Nis Assembly Rade Rajkovic, as well as the representatives of the army, the police, the Nisava Administrative District, the Serbian-Russian Humanitarian Center, the representatives of associations that nurture the traditions of the liberation wars, paid their respect to Nis liberators. On January 11, 1878, Nis was freed from the Turks and after nearly five centuries of slavery, merged with Serbia. The fighting for the liberation of Nis began in mid-December 1877, when the Ibar, Morava and Danube divisions crossed the Serbian-Turkish border and took positions northwest of the city, approaching five to eight kilometers. The Ibar division penetrated the south and cut the connection between Niš and Leskovac. Then the Serbian army won Pirot and Bela Palanka, disabling the connection of the Turkish garrison in Nis with troops in Sofia and conquered Selicevica mountain, closing the ring around Nis and on the south side.

January 6^th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic, on the occasion of the Christmas celebration, extended his greetings to all fellow citizens: “In the light of the birth of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to all believers and the clergy of the Orthodox religion, I wish that this most joyful holiday of Christian culture is welcomed surrounded by the closest ones, in peace, love, health and joy. May the grace of the birth of Christ forever remind us of the power of love, of goodness, of communion, and of the beauty and richness of religious, cultural and all other diversity. Let us rejoice in each other, exchange words of love and warmth, forgive mistakes, and strengthen our faith and hope. May Christmas bring to my fellow citizens spiritual peace, prosperity, success and happiness. Merry Christmas!”