Measure I.1 – Improving the productivity and competitiveness of the area’s economic, rural, cultural and environmental resources.
Project Title: Environmental Binocular
Project Budget:
| Project Value | EU Contribution | |
| Republic of Serbia | €150,621.44 | € 125,181.44 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | € 135,085.00 | € 112,530.00 |
| TOTAL | € 285,706.44 | € 237,711.44 |
Beneficiary of funds in the Republic of Serbia: Municipality of Priboj
Beneficiary of funds in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Municipality of Rudo
Partners:
Area of implementation:
- Serbia: Zlatiborski district, Priboj municipality
- Bosnia and Herzegovina: Upper Drina region, Rudo municipality
The target groups of the project: Population of border areas of Priboj and Rudo municipalities; Environmental NGOs; Media; Tourists; Fishermen; Hunters; Prijepolje forestry estate; ”Panos” Višegrad forestry estate; Nature lovers.
Project duration: 01.12.2010. – 31.03.2012
Project objectives:
The overall objective: Contribution to the improvement of environmental protection in the border area of Priboj and Rudo municipalities.
The specific objective: Establishing the system of solid communal waste disposal and collection in the border areas of Priboj and Rudo municipalities through building capacities of communal services institutions, and increased citizens’ participation in solving environmental protection problems.
Activities and results of the project
Possibilities for improvement of services in local communities have been created through the establishment of a solid communal waste disposal and collection system, capacity building of communal service providers, establishing ’48 hour response’ Call Centres and increasing citizens’ participation in solving environmental protection issues, especially in remote cross-border areas.
The shape of the border in this area gives an interesting cross-border character to the project. It is curved in such a way that the Municipality of Priboj (Serbia) is closer to some local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Mokronozi, Uvac, Štrpci and Bijelo Brdo) while the Municipality of Rudo (BiH) is very close to some local communities in Serbia (Sjeverin and Sastavci). Upon signing the Memorandum of Understanding, Public Utility Company ‘Usluga’ from Rudo began to carry out community waste services in the local communities in Serbia, while Public Utility Company ’Usluga’ from Priboj does the same for the local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, each crossing the border many times a day.
Also ‘48 hours’ Call Centres have been established in Priboj and Rudo for citizens to report any environment related issues such as illegal dumps, sewerage system problems, and dirty streets. Citizens can do so by sending an SMS, e-mail or through a phone call. Once notified, responsible services, including communal companies, directorates for construction and inspection services, are required to inform the citizens within 48 hours how they are going to solve the problem.
In order to successfully implement the project, ’48 hours’ software was purchased as well as 50 solid waste containers (40 for Priboj Municipality and 10 for Rudo Municipality) and one garbage truck was purchased for each utility company in Priboj and Rudo. In order to raise awareness about the project, two forums were held in Sjeverin and Sastavci (Priboj Municipality) and one in Uvac (Rudo Municipality).
Implementation of Environmental Binocular ensured stronger partnership and citizens’ participation in dealing with environmental protection. Activities which strengthen networks, communication and cooperation among local communities in the Programme area, especially in the field of environmental protection, European integration and introduction of EU standards in the work of local communities serve as an example to other municipalities in implementation of similar projects.
