Požarevac | 14 May 2026

Round Tables on the Territorial Strategy for the Urban Area of the City of Požarevac and the Municipalities of the Braničevski District

As part of the EU INTEGRA programme, a two-day series of thematic round tables on the territorial strategy for the urban area of the city of Požarevac and the municipalities of Veliko Gradište, Golubac, Žabari, Žagubica, Kučevo, Malo Crniće and Petrovac na Mlavi began today in Požarevac. Through the EU INTEGRA programme, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration of Serbia, the European Union is providing support for the implementation of an integrated territorial approach to development.

The city of Požarevac and the municipalities of the Braničevski District received support, through the component of the EU INTEGRA programme implemented by UNOPS, for the preparation of a territorial strategy, an important document for the future sustainable development of this territory. The thematic round tables, as an important part of the strategy development process, bring together representatives of local self-governments, the public, private and civil sectors to review the results of the contextual and preliminary SWOT analysis, identify key development challenges and territorial potentials, and define future development directions.

The Mayor of Požarevac, Saša Pavlović, emphasized that the strategy will enable local self-governments to jointly define priorities and projects that will contribute to more balanced and sustainable development across the entire territory.

“Our territory possesses significant potential, ranging from energy and agriculture to tourism gems such as Đerdap National Park, the Golubac and Ram fortresses, Viminacium, Homolje and Silver Lake. Our goal is to use this strategy to define key projects that will further integrate the region into a unified whole,” the Mayor of Požarevac stated.

Valentina Vidović, Head of the Department for the Establishment and Development of the Management System for the European Union Structural and Cohesion Funds at the Ministry of European Integration, highlighted that the Ministry, through the EU INTEGRA programme, supports local self-governments in strengthening institutional capacities for managing EU territorial instruments. Through this process, local self-governments are improving their capacities for strategic planning, mutual cooperation, and the future use of EU Cohesion policy funds.

Viktor Veljović, Capacity Development Manager within the EU INTEGRA programme implemented by UNOPS, stressed that integrated territorial development enables local self-governments to jointly plan and develop projects that respond to the concrete needs of citizens and the territory’s potential. He recalled that the EU INTEGRA programme builds on the results of the EU PRO Plus programme, through which a model of integrated sustainable territorial development had already been introduced in Serbia, and that EU INTEGRA continues its implementation through the preparation of territorial strategies for ten additional territories across the country.

As Veljović emphasised, the thematic round tables provide an opportunity to further improve the proposed analysis of the current situation and needs through discussions with a broader circle of local experts and relevant stakeholders. During the two-day event, participants will discuss topics including urban renewal, green transition, sustainable urban mobility, innovative and smart economy, social development, and development governance.