THE VISIT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE COORDINATION BODY, ZORAN STANKOVIC, TO MEDVEDJA

25. September 2013.

The President of the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, Zoran Stankovic, met yesterday with the leadership of the municipality of Medvedja, and the main topic of their discussion was the development of economic activities in the municipality. In that respect, Mr. Stankovic said that the open competition for grants to the small and medium-sized enterprises, by which the development of entrepreneurship in Medvedja is promoted, was completed and that 12 million dinars were approved, adding that the entrepreneurs from the municipality would get the money after completion of the deadline for the appeal, which should expire in 8 days.

The President of the Coordination Body also said that the border-crossing Mutivode, which is situated in the vicinity of Medvedja, should get operational and that it should be given the same status as the Končulj and Merdare border-crossings. Mr. Stankovic also mentioned the need to take a census in these areas in order to obtain a clearer picture of how many Albanians were living in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja.

Mr. Stankovic spoke with representatives of the groups of councilors in the municipal assembly of Medvedja, and then visited the village Gajtan in the municipality, where he talked about the building of a road that would connect the municipality of Medvedja to Kuršumlija, or the Jablanica District to Toplica District. On that occasion, he promised to the villagers the assistance of the responsible bodies with constructing roads that are necessary to that region. The citizens of the largest village in the area urged the Coordination Body and the Serbian government to help them build a road to Prolom Spa and the streets in the village itself.

"We mostly need roads here, because they are in a disastrous state. We need to build about 15 kilometers of gravel roads. We started doing something with the municipality, we built a part of an eight-kilometer road, but it needs to be completed, so that it could be used permanently", said Stevan Zugić, the Leader of the local community of Gajtan.

While talking with the villagers, the President of the Coordination Body said that roads should be built in that region in order to provide the conditions for business investment in the area.

"The local self-government made some plans for repairing the infrastructure, and given the importance of the area, I told them that we, along with the competent ministries, would provide assistance to them. The infrastructure is essential for investments, too. In the coming period, we'll do the conceptual designs, which will be in accordance with their plans and programs, and I hope that the pressing problem will be solved by next year", said Mr. Stankovic.

After talking with representatives of the local self-government, political parties and after his visit to the village of Gaitan, Zoran Stankovic walked in the recently renovated square in Medvedja, where he spoke with the residents.

Source: The Coordination Body