 | HE Dulic Minister for Environment and spatial planning addressing the participants |
The Government of Serbia last week hosted a national conference aimed at sharing experiences on social and affordable housing policies in Serbia and other European countries. The event was organized with UN-HABITAT, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration. The conference, organized with the support of the Government of Italy, addressed three main themes significant for the ongoing housing reform process in Serbia, highlighting good practices and challenges in other European countries, drawing lessons learned and confronting different housing policy options. The Minister for Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr Oliver Dulic, the Ambassador of Italy to Serbia, Mr Armando Varricchio, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia Mr. Adriano Martins, the Mayor of the City of Nis Mr. Milos Simonovic, and the Director of the UN-HABITAT Warsaw Office, Mr. Krzysztof Mularczyk addressed a large audience composed of the representatives of line Ministries and specialized agencies, cities and municipalities, city housing agencies, non profit organisations, Serbian and other European universities, commercial banks, international organizations and bilateral donors. UN-HABITAT congratulated the Government of Serbia for the methodology adopted in the conference which involved all actors in the development of new housing policy instruments. Local governments, the private sector, the researchers and the civil society are the main actors in the implementation of the policy. The central government is taking up its key role in organizing the policy framework facilitating and supporting the local initiatives, the initiatives of the citizens and the private sector. Following the adoption of the Law on Social Housing last August, the development of policy instruments, appropriate models and mechanisms for addressing the housing needs of the most vulnerable has become a priority for the Government of Serbia. Currently, the government is engaged in developing relevant by-laws and the National Strategy for Social Housing. |
