Posted on : 7/9/2019

Minister of Mining and Energy, Aleksandar Antic has signed agreements with representatives of 24 local self-government units that will be awarded grants in the amount of 325 million dinars from the Budget Fund for improving Energy Efficiency for projects related to the improvement of energy efficiency in public buildings.

The total value of these projects is 490 million dinars, out of which 325 dinars will be awarded through the Budget Fund, while 165 million dinars will be provided by the local self-government units.

There have been 62 applications to the public call, out of which 24 local self-government units have been selected, and Minister Antić has said that it is the highest grants amount for selected projects earmarked since 2014, when grants awarding from the Budget Fund was first introduced. 

This year funds from the Budget Fund have been awarded for projects in Kikinda, Trgovište, Surdulica, Subotica, Bela Palanka, Majdanpek, Alibunar, Zemun, Svilajnac, Raška, Kanjiža, Irig, Petrovac na Mlavi, Čačak, Mionica, Valjevo, Despotovac, Lučani, Malo Crniće, Kruševac, Ljubovija, Ćuprija, Niš and Knić.

This will improve the energy efficiency of five schools, five kindergartens, four community health centres, four local self-government buildings, two business service buildings, one Centre for physical education, one Centre for children with special needs, one Centre for gerontology and one Centre for social work.

Apart from the Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic, the State Secretary Stevica Dejanski and the Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy Miloš Banjac, presidents of the selected municipalities, as well as the representatives of institutions of the Republic of Serbia, local self-government units and the media attended the ceremony. 

Minister has stressed that after the realization of these projects, an annual saving of 8.2 million kilowatt hours is expected, which is about 490,000 EUR a year, as well as the reduction in CO2 emissions by 3,300 tons per year.

Minister of Mining and Energy has said that he expects the Energy Efficiency Fund to start working by the end of this year, and that the funds will be available not only to public buildings but also to citizens, for the improvemnt of energy efficiency in their residential buildings and commercial facilities.

Minister has said that the Fund und will be financed with energy efficiency fee receipts, which will ensure stability of the fund, which he says will help promote energy efficiency and support the purchase of equipment that is energy efficient, according to EU standards.