The Ministry of Environmental Protection has announced three public competitions, which envisage a total of 3.3 million euros to support local governments for projects aimed at reducing air pollution, said Minister Irena Vujovic.
– With one competition we determined 1.65 million euros for the renovation of old boiler rooms, which will reduce air pollution, for the second competition we provided 875 thousand euros for projects co-financing the reduction of air pollution originating from individual sources, and for the third competition 875 thousand euros for afforestation of improved air quality throughout Serbia. The fight for clean air is one of the most important in the Ministry I lead, and we are determined to encourage local governments to react and solve this problem as soon as possible. That is why we have set February 16, 2021, as the deadline for applying for all three competitions. We act simultaneously on several fronts – Minister Vujovic specified.
All cities, municipalities and city municipalities in Serbia have the right to apply for the announced competitions. The competitions envisage that the Ministry of Environmental Protection finances 80% of the eligible costs of the project, while the participation of the beneficiaries is 20%, it is stated on the website of the Ministry.
It is added that the decision on the projects that will be co-financed will be made by a special competition commission, and the Minister will form three such bodies in the coming days, adjusted to each competition.
– When it comes to the competition for the procurement, replacement, reconstruction and rehabilitation of heating boilers, as well as individual furnaces, some of the most important criteria are the importance of the project for the environment, the degree of impact and environmental threat. The main criteria of the competition for co-financing afforestation projects of degraded, protected, public and other areas where there is such a need, will be the general impact on the environment and the level of development of local self-government – it is stated in the announcement.
Projects will be selected according to pre-established criteria, and the preliminary ranking list will be published on the website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and eGovernment, within a maximum of 60 days from the application deadline, eKapija reports.
