Niška Banja Faces Over 112,000 Euro Debt from Project Irregularities; City of Niš Steps In

The municipality of Niška Banja is facing a significant financial burden, needing to pay over 112,000 euros due to irregularities found in a cross-border cooperation project with Bulgaria. The municipality has turned to the City of Niš for help, seeking funds from the city's budget reserves to cover the debt.

The project, titled “Joint management of risk in the region – Niska Banja and Kostenets,” was part of the IPA program for 2014-2020. The Ministry of European Integration determined that procedural errors occurred during its implementation. Consequently, Niška Banja had to sign an agreement acknowledging a debt of 112,563.81 euros in January of this year.

To avoid jeopardizing its overall functioning and that of the City of Niš, Niška Banja requested 20 million Serbian dinars (approximately 170,000 euros) from the city's budget reserves. These funds are intended not only to cover the debt but also for promoting tourism, enriching cultural and sports life, and improving urban potential. The City Council approved the request, citing the potential threat to the municipality's and the city's operations. Journalists were reportedly not invited to the council meeting where this decision was made.