Agreements for 130 projects of public interest awarded

Agreements on the award of funds collected on the basis of non-prosecution agreements (the so-called ‘opportunity funds’) for 130 projects of public interest have been presented to the respective project beneficiaries for signing.

This year, the Ministry of Justice conducted its fifth public call for the awarding of ‘opportunity funds’, which resulted in a total of 500 million dinars being allotted for projects in the field of health, culture, education, and social protection. For all the public calls conducted thus far, more than two billion dinars have been awarded to projects of public interest.

This year, health-related projects have received the most funding − 236,891,692 dinars which is nearly a half of the total funds allotted. Projects in the field of education received 162,775,139 dinars, projects in the field of social protection 41,395,651 dinars, projects in the field of culture 31,431,776 dinars, and projects in all other fields 27,505,742 dinars.

Primary health-care institute Dr Nikola Džamić in Vrnjačka Banja received 4.5 million dinars for the procurement of a state-of-the-art ultrasound machine, and its director Dr Vesna Malićanin explained how incredibly important that machine would be for early diagnostics and that the institute would now be able to offer the local residents a full diagnostic service.

Principal of Primary School Saša Jovanović Sirogojno in the Zemun Municipality of Belgrade Mrs Snežana Kostić noted that the school had received a little over one million dinars to raise the quality of lessons and teaching for pupils with developmental difficulties, including procuring a screen projector, an interactive whiteboard and a laptop.

Acting Director of the Social Welfare Centre in Kučevo Mrs Nevena Jovanović-Trailović stated that 3.3 million dinars of the funds allotted to the Centre would be used to procure a washing machine and a dryer, transport trolleys and medical trolleys – all of which would improve the services for 150 users.

Mr Marko Aleksandrović of the sports Association of Wheelchair Basketball NAIS thanked the Ministry of Justice for the awarded funds which – he explained – would be used to acquire state-of-the-art wheelchairs for members of the national team with the highest form of disability.

To see more coverage of the agreements-awarding ceremony, and to read the beneficiaries’ full statements, please go to www.infobiro.tv.