Regional Agency for Development and European Integration in Belgrade was founded by the City of Belgrade in order to provide strong support to Serbia on its road to EU, as well as strengthening the institutional capacity of local government.

Regional Agency for Development and European Integration is key to Belgrade on the road to Europe, said Belgrade Mayor Sinisa Mali.

The mayor recalled that one of the priorities of the city is – attracting a larger number of investments.

- Increased number of investment means to decrease the unemployment rate and increase the rate of economic growth, in which City strives to assist the efforts of the Government of Serbia. After the floods last year, City would not be able to raise funds from donors for the reconstruction of the embankment in Obrenovac without RADEI. Also, without them we would not be able to finish the Development Strategy of Belgrade in next six months, which will define goals and action plans for the development of the capital from 2015 to 2025. This strategy is important for projects that we plan to implement together with other European countries in attracting funds from the European Union – said Sinisa Mali.

Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic, pointed out that RADEI has great potential and that there is close cooperation with the Office for European integration and that potential investors and donors can be sure that all the mechanisms in the use of the funds are same at the national level and at city level.

“Through this Agency we would like to draw investors and this is the message to them, because if you have arranged a mechanism and specific frame in which you move, you become more attractive and interesting to potential investors,” said Joksimovic.

Reminding that the strategic objective of the Government is European integration, Joksimovic said that in these integrations local governments have a special role, since as much as 70 percent of the laws that are adopted on national level, are implemented by local governments.

“The Agency has the support of the Office for European Integration and myself as minister and all those who participate in the creation and capacity building for the use of pre-accession funds, which amount to about 200 million Euros”, indicated the Minister.

Joksimovic said that one of the most important and most demanding chapters in the negotiations with the EU, Chapter 22, which relates to regional policy, through which we are negotiating how and whether we will, at the moment of membership, even be ready to use the structural funds.

“Belgrade is very interesting from several aspects, but it is handicapped when it comes to attracting money from European funds, which are often designed for less developed areas,” said Joksimović.

Snezana Radinovic reminded that RADEI was created in 2002, first as a Regional Center for the Development of SMEs, and it became RADEI on April 2014. RADEI operates through two sectors – Regional Development and European Integration. So far it has been a leader in three and partner in thirteen international projects. Among the major projects planned for the next period are: Public-private partnership for the dumpsite  ”Vinca”, “Sava bike – connecting cycling tracks stocks from Slovenia to Serbia,” Restoration of the facade in order to improve energy efficiency, flood control on watercourses  of the second order, “Gondola Belgrade” and others.

The event was attended by Ambassadors, representatives of the diplomatic corps, international organizations and representatives of the City of Belgrade.