EBRD grants Serbia €2.64 million for landfill cleanup

Serbia has taken a significant step towards improving its environmental infrastructure with a €2.64 million grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The funds are earmarked for the crucial task of closing and remediating 17 unsanitary landfills in the regions of Pirot, Sremska Mitrovica, and Valjevo.

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approximately 800,000 citizens will benefit directly from the project, as unsanitary landfills are removed from their local municipalities.

Officials signed the grant agreement in Belgrade, with the European Union's Ambassador to Serbia, Andreas von Beckerath, in attendance. The grant will finance the necessary studies and technical documentation to tackle these long-standing environmental issues. Funding for this initiative comes from bilateral donors supporting the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), a key EU platform for regional infrastructure development.

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the technical assistance project will pave the way for the long-awaited closure and remediation of unsanitary landfills and support Serbia’s transition to modern, environmentally safe waste management systems.

Minister of Environmental Protection Sara Pavkov highlighted the project's broad impact, stating that around 800,000 citizens will directly benefit from the removal of these unsanitary sites. Jelena Ceperkovic, EBRD Deputy Director for Serbia, emphasized that the technical assistance will pave the way for modern, environmentally safe waste management systems, aligning Serbia with EU standards. Ambassador von Beckerath underscored the importance of environmental improvements for public health and Serbia's green transition, noting the EU's commitment to reducing pollution and enhancing waste management through the WBIF.

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improving environmental infrastructure is essential for protecting public health and advancing Serbia’s green transition.