Major Step Toward Improving Local Environmental Management

On October 22, a public forum was held in the municipality of Medvedja dedicated to the process of evaluation and categorization of Mrkonjski Vis, which, according to the Rulebook on Evaluation Criteria and the Procedure for Categorization of Protected Areas, is classified in Category III - Protected Area of Local Importance. 

The forum brought together 38 representatives of local self-government, the Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia, local public organizations and institutions, representatives of local private companies, civil society organizations, interested citizens and local media.

The event highlighted the importance of active participation of all relevant and interested parties in processes that contribute to significant decisions for the local community. At the same time, through the discussion at the forum, the need for coordinated management of different, often parallel processes arising from different responsibilities of public institutions and other organizations was highlighted. This approach emphasizes the importance of intersectoral cooperation and respect for the different interests of all involved participants in this process.

The PRO programme provided several months of technical support to the Municipality of Medveđa, through the introduction and implementation of environmental governance processes in the development of the local Air Protection Program, as well as in other priorities of the local self-government in the field of environmental protection.

The technical support and activities were implemented within the program "PRO - Local Governance for People and Nature", implemented by the United Nations agencies in Serbia - UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with the financial support of the Government of Switzerland.