The Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the Ministry of European Integration and GIZ on behalf of German-Serbian Development Cooperation signed today the Agreement on Implementation of the Project “Support to Public Administration Reform in the EU Accession Process”.
The Agreement was signed by line ministers Marija Obradović and Jadranka Joksimović and, on behalf of GIZ, project leader Stephen Heiek, in the presence of the German ambassador to Serbia Mr. Thomas Schieb.
Ministers Obradović i Joksimović and ambassador Schieb said the signing of this Agreement was a continuation of the successful cooperation between Serbia and Germany in the public administration reform process and support to the European integration process.
“German support is paramount for achieving the vision of the new Public Administration Reform Strategy 2020-2030, which is ADMINISTRATION TAILORED TO US ALL, and the objective of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government to make Serbia a modern state, a state in which citizens are satisfied with the services provided and which serves each citizen and the entire economy”, said Ms. Marija Obradović, Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government.
Minister of European Integration Ms. Jadranka Joksimović praised the signing of the Agreement, noting it was a continuation of a successful project which had begun in 2012, by which Germany had demonstrated it considered Serbia a major partner, not only in bilateral relations, but also as a serious candidate for EU membership, thus providing support to our country’s accession negotiations.
“I am certain that the results we have achieved to date under this project have convinced the German Government to provide us with additional support by the end of the year to continue the accession process and achieve even more concrete and visible steps on Serbia’s European path, in line with the principles of the new methodology”, Ms. Joksimović said.
The German ambassador to Serbia Mr. Thomas Schieb said after the signing of the Agreement between the two Ministries and GIZ that the agreement signed that day was a symbol of Germany’s continuing support to Serbia on its road to the EU. Mr. Schieb said highly concrete reforms in the field of rule of law and public administration reform had a crucial role in that context. He said a modern and efficient citizen-oriented public administration benefited primarily Serbian citizens and the national economy.
The project “Support to Public Administration Reform in the EU Accession Process” focuses on improving the quality and availability of services for citizens and businesses at both national and local levels and involves, among other things, the use of innovative approaches to developing and providing services and their standardisation through the establishment of one-stop shops.
A prerequisite for good governance is its continued professionalisation through capacity building of civil servants and implementation of the competence framework, while the EU accession process is reinforced through support to negotiation clusters and structures established to coordinate the process.
Photo gallery – source: GIZ and Tanjug
