The inception workshop for the project “Technical Assistance for Establishing a Regional Waste Management System for the City of Novi Sad and the Municipalities of the Novi Sad Region” was held on October 30, 2024, at the Science and Technology Park in Novi Sad.
The workshop was organized to familiarize all participants with the Technical Assistance activities carried out so far. Additionally, the intention was to present the expected results and the next steps that should contribute to establishing an efficient and sustainable waste management system in the region, which includes the City of Novi Sad and the municipalities of Bačka Palanka, Bački Petrovac, Beočin, Žabalj, Srbobran, Temerin, and Vrbas.
“This project represents our commitment to ecological principles and the shift towards modern and efficient waste management. Our goal is to minimize the impact on the environment and the health of our citizens while raising awareness of the importance of sustainable waste management. Thanks to cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and support from EU funds, we have already made important steps towards implementing this project. In the coming years, we expect to build a Regional Waste Management Center, which will significantly improve the infrastructure and waste management systems in our region,” emphasized Vanja Petković, a member of the City Council for Ecology, Energy Efficiency, and Environmental Protection of the City of Novi Sad.
In the first part of the workshop, participants were introduced to the specific goals and expected results of the project, presented by Mr Herbert Heinz, the team leader of the Technical Assistance. Experts engaged in the project provided an overview of the existing legal framework and institutional capacities relevant for the further development of the regional waste management system, as well as an assessment of the needs for improving existing planning documents and operational waste management systems in the region.
The second part of the workshop addressed key aspects of the methodology for assessing the needs for professional training and capacity building within the regional waste management system, as well as the methodology for assessing the current level of public awareness about the waste management system in the region. At the end of the workshop, Ms Elena Jankovic, the key expert on the project, presented the next steps in implementation to ensure that all participants were informed about the activities planned for the next six months.
Representatives from all municipalities in the region that are part of this project were present, including representatives from public utility companies, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP), representatives from the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, as well as the Ministry for European Integration.