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PUPILS OF PRIMARY SCHOOL NJEGOS VISITED MAYOR

October 16

 

Within the European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) the City of Nis Office of the Mayor organized the visit of the members of Pupils’ Parliament and senior classes of the Primary School Njegos to the City Hall. The pupils met with Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic and had the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of City of Nis management, to hear personally from the Mayor what his job looked like, how the decisions were made and to ask him specific questions. The students were most interested in what the Mayor could do for citizens, for schools, but also how the local leaders could contribute to a better quality of life in Niš. Also, the pupils the elementary school Njegos had suggestions for concrete activities for the Mayor, such as the construction of new swimming pools, the opening of the zoo, the expansion of the capacity of the city  Stadium, but also the increase of salaries, better equipping of schools and provision of digital textbooks for all pupils. The European Local Democracy Week (ELDW) is a pan-European event which aims at boosting local democracy and citizen participation. It is an initiative coordinated by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe. Local authorities from all the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe, and their associations are invited to register and organize public events to promote and foster democratic participation at grassroots level. It  is  fundamental  for  an  established  and  functioning  local democracy  to  promote  education  for  democratic  citizenship  among young people and children. Moreover,  by   engaging  children  and  youth,  local  authorities  will understand  better  their  needs  and  will  be  able  to  develop  more targeted responses for and with the younger generation, thus building a  more inclusive  democratic  local  community.




EXPERT FORM GOOGLE COMPANY VISITED NIS

April 23rd

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with Mr. Harry Roberts, an IT expert working for Google, who was in Nis giving the lecture at the IT Conference and Job Fair IT-Connect. During the conversation the Mayor pointed out that the funds that the state allocated for the development of IT sector in Serbia as well as all the activities that City of Nis was doing to assist the development of IT community in Nis. “We have supported the establishment of Start Up Center for the students and young entrepreneurs in IT sector, we are building the extension lamella at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering intended for the R&D laboratory, and we have started the construction works for the Science Technological Park by which the City of Nis was supporting the creation of the innovative ecosystems for the companies who will operate from the STP. Also, this year we will organize the fifth-in –a-row Forum of Advance Technologies in Nis. These are all huge steps for us so that we could catch up with the rest of the world in this sector and even achieve more”, as Mayor Bulatovic said. Mr. Roberts spoke about his experience in working in this sector and his views on IT community in Nis. His guest lecture at IT Conference and Job Fair IT-Connect was the opportunity for developers from Nis t\to learn from one of the best world experts.  The organizers pointed out that the IT – Connect was a growing regional IT community, bringing together more than 10,000 IT professionals from all over the region, with the goal of strengthening this sector and networking companies and professionals. So far, more than 100 IT companies from the region have cooperated with this organization.

 

 

 

 

 

 




NIS AND CUPRIJA – PARTNERS IN THE PROJECT

March 15th

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic and the Mayor of Cuprija Mr. Ninoslav Eric signed the Memorandum of Cooperation on the project “Effective 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 the management of property through the inventory and legalization of public property in Nis and Cuprija and increase the transparency of the work of the public administration by the introduction and development of the Geographic Information System (GIS) and the creation of an application for GIS. In this way public administration will be closer to the citizens and the business community. “Implementation of the project in Nis and Cuprija will create unique database of integrated records for all property, together with applications for all aspects and processes of asset management. In practice, this means that, by realizing this project, we will have systematized complete data on the property of the City of Nis, both land and other immovable property, so that citizens, potential investors and all interested parties will have access to these data without waiting in line ” as it was said by Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic after the signing of the MoU.  He emphasized that the use of this property management model owned by Nis and Cuprija meant strengthening administrative capacities and more efficient asset management, increasing revenues, better control of costs, better risk management and adequate asset maintenance. The president of the Municipality of Cuprija Ninoslav Eric pointed out that this was very important project and that he was looking forward to implementing it with the City of Nis. “The experience Nis has in the property inventory is very important for us, since we are at the beginning. I expect that, after realization of the planned project activities, there will be a reduction in costs and an increase in revenues from property owned by our local self-government, “said Eric. “Nis and Cuprija have a large number of different real estate but without precise and legally relevant data. Bearing in mind that effective public asset management imposes itself as the priority requirement in the process of development and modernization, the Office for Local Economic Development Projects, together with its partner, jointly developed a project proposal to solve identical problems”, said Project Manager Ana Radovanovic from the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects. She added that 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 put the property in the function of investing and increasing the revenues of local self-government. The project is also of multiple importances both for potential investors who will be able to obtain easier and faster information on targeted locations, as well as for citizens who, as end-users, need a reliable, responsible 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 financed by EU (IPA 2014) through the Exchange5 Program – EU support to local governments in the field of asset 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.




CITY OF NIS OFFICE FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PROJECTS AS THE EXAMPLE OF FDI GOOD PRACTICE

 

February 21st

The presentation of the support programs and subsidies provided by the Development Agency of Serbia to Belgian companies operating in our country was organized by the Development Agency of Serbia, the Office for Economics and Trade of the Embassy of Belgium in Serbia and the Belgian-Serbian Business Association. At the same time, Belgian companies that are interested in starting a business in Serbia or expanding their presence and operations in our country had the opportunity to receive the necessary instructions and information. The Office for Local Economic Development and Projects of the City of Nis, as an example of good practice in attracting foreign direct investments, presented its work to the Belgian-Serbian business community and showed why Nis was declared the champion of local economic development and the winner of the prestigious Financial Times award. The Head of the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects of the City of Nis Milan Randjelovic, stressed at today’s meeting what the advantages of Nis and the region were that attracted investors to this part of Serbia, such as geostrategic position, connection of the transport routes, airports, the existence of the University, skilled labor, but also the willingness of the local self-government to solve quickly and efficiently the problems that potential investors could encounter. He pointed out that the Office for Local Economic Development and Projects monitored the realization of every investment, from the first initial contact, to the opening of factories and that its employees represented the link between investors and other institutions. Ranđelović stressed that this kind of work has yielded results and that the unemployment rate in Nis has been drastically reduced. Also, the capacities of OLEDP are significantly strengthened in relation to the period of 10 years ago when this office was created, so today it is much easier to work with a large number of investors who came to our city and who are planning to operate in Nis. The head of OLEDP thanked the Development Agency of Serbia for the significant support provided to the City of Nis during all years of cooperation and stressed that he hoped that the important investments for Nis and its citizens jointly implemented by OLEDP and RAS were yet to come.




AMBASSADOR OF ROMANIA VISITED NIS

Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic met with the Ambassador of Romania to Belgrade, Oana- Kristina Popa at Nis City House. On this occasion Ambassador Popa told the host that during the presidency of Romania over the European Council it would support Serbia on its European path, and the enlargement would be at the very top of the European agenda. Popa, whose country presides over the Council of the European Union in the first half of this year, said that the European perspective of the Western Balkans in 2018 was reaffirmed, adding that Romania would help candidate countries to advance in European integration.  “Serbia is one of the leading candidates for the EU and plays a key role in the stability of the Western Balkans,” Popa said, who presented the goals of Romania during the presidency of the European Union in a lecture at the EU info corner in Nis. She reiterated that Serbia could count on Romania’s assistance in the accession process and in the reform process, and that Nis, as one of the most important cities in Serbia, can find partners in many cities in Romania, to work more closely on solving issues that are common to cities of this size and degree of development. Mayor Bulatovic presented the potentials of Nis, economic, cultural, scientific and historical, and pointed out that Nis was interested in establishing close ties with the cities in Romania, first of all with those who had experience in the development of modern, advanced technologies, having in mind that there were already several “IT Hubs” in Romania similar to those that Nis wanted to create in the future Scientific and Technology Park and StartUp center at the Faculty of Electronic Engineering. Bulatovic reiterated that Romania and Serbia have been building good neighborly relations for centuries and that city and municipalities with the help of the embassies, have deepened this relationship.




VISIT LECTURE OF THE RENOWNED EGYPTIAN PAINTER IBRAHIM GHAZALA

After the recent visit of the Egyptian ambassador to our city the first cooperation between the City of Nis and Embassy of Egypt is realized through a joint workshop in the field of fine arts. On Wednesday, September 19, a lecture titled “Cooperation of Serbia and Egypt in the Field of Art” was held, and the lecture was be delivered by the Egyptian painter prof. Ibrahim Ghazala. Ibrahim Ghazala is an Egyptian visual artist, painter, professor of art and writer, known for his typical style and rich warm colors. His works of art faithfully depict the Egyptian landscape, the beauty he sees in nature, and his passion for color. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Cairo; nowadays he is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Minya. Ghazala has repeatedly exhibited independently and participated in collective exhibitions in several European and Arab countries. His paintings have found a way to various museums in Egypt and private collections in Egypt and abroad.




EUROPEAN CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO CLEFT AND CRANIOFACIAL INITIATIVE FOR QUALITY IN CARE

The European Conference – The Initiative for the Unique Approach to the Treatment of Orofacial Clefts and Other Craniofacial Deformities is the first conference within the COST European Cooperation in Science & Technology project 16234, the Horizon 2020 Framework program. The conference was opened on behalf of organizer Julija Radojicic, MD who emphasized the importance of organizing such scientific meetings so that doctors could get acquainted with new methods in this field, but also exchange experiences with colleagues from other countries. On behalf of the City of Nis the audience was greeted by Nis City Mayor Darko Bulatovic, who welcomed all the participants of this prestigious gathering and emphasized that within the framework of European medicine, there was no common position on the treatment and socialization of children with certain craniofacial deformities, and that such gatherings were the opportunities to jointly adopt new knowledge and methods in treating.




LIMES CONGRESS STUDY TOUR IN NIS

The welcoming reception was organized at Nis City Hall for the renowned archaeologists, the participants of the 24th Limes Congress hosted by the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade, Serbia, which was, for the first time, held in Belgrade and Viminacium, 2‒9th September 2018. Limes Congress is an event with a long tradition of nearly 70 years and brings together experts on the Roman Frontier Studies worldwide. This event is organized every third year and gathers those who deal with the Roman army and everything related to the Roman border. The scientific elite with more than 100 researchers from around 45 countries from all six continents came to Serbia. Assistant Mayor Nebojsa Randjelović greeted the guests and sent a welcoming message and pointed out that Nis was a very interesting city for archaeologists




SICEVO ART COLONY OPENED

The Sicevo Art Colony 2018 was ceremoniously opened last night in this pictorial village near Nis. Sicevo Art Colony is the oldest art colony in the Balkans. It was founded in 1905 according to the idea and with the efforts of the Serbian painter Nadezda Petrovic. During the continuous organization, from 1964 to the present day, almost 500 academic artists of different generations and stylistic orientations from all over the former Yugoslavia and from abroad participated in the work of the Colony. Nis City Council Member Jelena Mitrovski greeted the participants at the official opening of the Art Colony. The selector of this year’s Art Colony is Miodrag Daja Andjelkovic, Master of Graphic Design from Nis. The organizer is the Nis Gallery of Contemporary Arts. This year’s Art Colony Sicevo gathered 12 painters from the region. This year the Colony will also mark the significant jubilee of the Art Secondary School: 70 years since its establishment.




PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EMPOWERING ROMA COMMUNITY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL

The City of Nis has joined the ROMACTED Programme Promoting Good Governance and Roma Empowerment at Local Level, which, with the support of the European Union in Serbia, is implemented by the Council of Europe, on the basis of the agreement between the European Union and the Council of Europe. ROMACTED results from the experience of the ROMED and ROMACT programmes and will reflect upon the adaptation of these methodologies and activities to each beneficiary and selected location, in order to fit into the policy cycle and the dynamics and reality of each municipality, and thus bringing an additional input to existing policies and practices for an effective and more inclusive functioning. One of the leading guidelines in the methodology of the programme is that participation in local governance can only be effective if it is context-appropriate. Thus, a preliminary mapping, assessment, baseline survey and research are done in each selected municipality so as to facilitate the adaptation of the programme and its support and monitoring of the process. In addition to the Strasbourg-based team, the programme will have project officers in the Council of Europe offices in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey and a national support team from Roma civil society in each of the beneficiary countries. The aims of the programme are to: strengthen political will and support local development through capacity-building of local authorities and effective participation of Roma citizens in local plans and projects; empower the Roma citizens- on the individual level (assisting people to practice their basic rights and to expand their capacity and skills), as well as on the community level (assisting people to get organized to voice their interests around community problem-solving);  improve and expand the institutions’ commitment, capacities, knowledge and skills in working for Roma inclusion, putting into practice the concepts of good governance.

So far, in cooperation with the Roma community and local self-government, the following actions have been successfully carried out: cleaning the railway crossing in the settlement Beograd Mala in cooperation with the Serbian Railways, water supply at the Roma cemetery, as well as the connection of the chapel to the water supply network in cooperation with City Municipality Crveni Krst and PUC Naissus, clearing the wild landfills in cooperation with PUC Medijana. Further plans related to the Roma population will be directed to solving many problems in various areas: water supply, sewerage infrastructure in Roma settlements, traffic signs and safety, systematic solution of wild landfills in settlements, assistance in renovating several residential buildings for the most vulnerable Roma population, cleaning and maintenance of railway crossroads around settlements, education, scholarships, prevention of drug addiction, assistance in securing the equipment for the collectors of raw materials which could be found at the landfill. “Local self-government is ready to answer with its all the available capacities to the problems of our citizens with the obligatory active participation of members of the Roma community”, said Nis City Council Member Tijana Djordjevic Ilic, and announced that in addition to the above Program, a Protocol on Cooperation was signed aimed at improving living conditions of the Roma population in settlements.