GOVERNMENT

With a EUR 309 million package, Germany will support Serbia’s climate efforts

Serbia and Germany have signed a statement of intent worth EUR 309 million on strategic collaboration in the sphere of climate change. Serbia will continue to work on strategic papers relating to decarbonization, CO2 emissions, and renewable energy sources with technical and professional help from Germany, according to Serbian Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovi.
Serbia will build an institutional architecture based on the declaration, she said, adding that strategy papers would be prepared by a working committee that will include German specialists.

According to Joksimovi, teams from all Serbian government ministries and members of the German delegation will review all major projects to determine which ones would benefit the most from German financial support and grants.

Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany announced the signing of the statement during her recent visit to Belgrade. The EUR 309 million would come in the form of loans or grants, but it was not mentioned at the signing ceremony.

Maria Flachsbarth, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, who signed the contract on behalf of the German government, said the EUR 309 million is a one-year package.

The declaration, according to Joksimovi, is a crucial document for Serbia’s EU integration process, and she hopes that the country will be able to open Cluster 4 of its EU accession talks soon, which covers energy, transportation, environmental protection, trans-European networks, and digitalization.

Joksimovi stated that the collaboration between Serbia and Germany demonstrates the two countries’ determination to join the global climate effort and work together to create a green, resilient, and sustainable economy by 2050, noting that Europe aspires to become a climate neutral continent by 2050.

See also  In an effort to reduce emissions, Germany has doubled its spending on building repairs to 11.5 billion euros

Serbia need a total investment of EUR 6 billion in wastewater treatment plants alone, according to Brnabi.

The Serbian government’s top priorities, according to Prime Minister Ana Brnabi, are to improve air quality, solid waste management, and wastewater treatment.

Serbia, she claims, has to invest over EUR 6 billion in wastewater treatment plants alone to satisfy European requirements.