EU INTEGRA Brings Smarter Waste Management and Cleaner Public Spaces to Bor

The “Smart Green Islands” project aims to create cleaner and better-maintained public spaces, improve waste management and provide better municipal services for the residents of Bor. Through modern infrastructure and digital solutions, the project will upgrade the city's waste collection system. The European Union is providing nearly EUR 384,000 in grant funding for the project through the “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” Programme, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The total project value exceeds EUR 667,000.

To mark the start of project implementation, a kick-off meeting was held at the Bor City Assembly, attended by the Mayor of Bor, Radiša Petković; Dr Nataša Stevandić from the Ministry of European Integration; Nikola Tarbuk, Secretary General of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM); representatives of the City of Bor and the project team; and the EU INTEGRA Programme team at SCTM. The planned activities and expected results were presented at the meeting, while participants discussed technical details and the next steps in project implementation.

The project will install 60 underground waste containers at 45 locations in the New City Centre and the Fourth Local Community, covering an area home to approximately one quarter of Bor's population. The containers will be equipped with fill-level sensors, while a digital system will enable the municipal utility service to monitor their status in real time and plan waste collection more efficiently. The response time for emptying full containers is expected to decrease from four to two days, alongside more efficient use of vehicles, reduced fuel consumption and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

Welcoming the participants on behalf of the Ministry of European Integration, the main beneficiary of the EU INTEGRA Programme, Dr Nataša Stevandić from the Department for Planning, Programming, Monitoring and Reporting on EU Funds and Development Assistance highlighted the importance of aligning European support with the development needs of local communities and actively engaging citizens.

“The Ministry of European Integration supports initiatives that direct European Union funding towards the specific development needs of local communities and contribute to sustainable and more balanced territorial development. The ‘Smart Green Islands’ project combines modern waste management solutions with a strong social dimension through awareness-raising campaigns, workshops and activities for young people. In this way, citizens become active participants in shaping a more sustainable future for Bor, while also being the main beneficiaries of the project – through a cleaner environment, modern infrastructure and new opportunities for education and employment,” said Stevandić.

Mayor of Bor Radiša Petković emphasised the importance of the project for improving municipal services and the quality of life of Bor's residents.

“What is particularly important for the City of Bor is that this project is not only about improving public spaces, but also about applying modern, smart solutions that bring tangible benefits to our residents. The City of Bor will provide its full support for project implementation, and I believe that Smart Green Islands will be another good example of how Bor can become more modern, greener and smarter,” said Petković.

Nikola Tarbuk, Secretary General of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities, highlighted the importance of linking strategic planning with practical solutions at the local level.
“Through the EU INTEGRA Programme's grant scheme implemented by SCTM, we support local governments in translating the priorities identified in territorial strategies into concrete and sustainable projects. The ‘Smart Green Islands’ project combines infrastructure modernisation and stronger capacities of the municipal utility service with the needs of the local community. It is particularly important that the solutions and experience gained through this project can also benefit other local governments facing similar waste management challenges,” said Tarbuk.

Citizen participation will be encouraged through the “Eko-Bor” digital platform, designed to provide information and collect feedback, as well as through educational activities and public events. Communication and educational activities are expected to reach approximately 16,000 residents, with the aim of raising environmental awareness and promoting responsible waste management practices.

The “Smart Green Islands” project is implemented by the City of Bor in partnership with the Regional Development Agency of Eastern Serbia (RARIS), while the new waste management system will be established within the public utility company JKP “3. oktobar” Bor. The project is based on the priorities identified in the Territorial Strategy for the Urban Area of the City of Bor and will run for 21 months.

The “EU Support to Integrated Territorial Development – EU INTEGRA” Programme is funded by the European Union with EUR 15 million and implemented by the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities (SCTM) and UNOPS, in cooperation with the Ministry of European Integration. The Programme supports local governments in planning and implementing integrated territorial development in line with the principles of the European Union's Cohesion Policy.

Through the grant scheme implemented by SCTM, five integrated projects have been supported so far, covering 14 local governments and 28 development interventions, with a total value of EUR 6.8 million, of which EUR 4.5 million is financed by the European Union.