Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration and Minister of Science and Technological Development Bozidar Djelic announced on Wednesday that over €25 million will be invested in the development of the Kragujevac University in 2011.
Following a meeting with Kragujevac Mayor Veroljub Stevanovic and Provost of the Kragujevac University Slobodan Arsenijevic, Djelic signed a Memorandum of realisation of infrastructure projects and a Protocol for a project to build a scientific-technological park in Kragujevac, stressing that the park’s construction will begin in 2011 and it will be completed in 2012.
Funds for the construction, which the relevant Ministry will secure together with European financial organisations, will be used for the scientific-technological park, the first stem cell centre in Serbia and 2010 flats for scientists working at the Kragujevac University, the Deputy Prime Minister specified.
The technological park will span 8,000 square metres and will be one of the four such parks in Serbia. The local self-government in Kragujevac and the Kragujevac University will also participate in the construction project, he explained.
Djelic noted that the City of Kragujevac will provide an adequate site for the construction and the building permit, as well as draft project documentation and construct the entire infrastructure.
As for the stem cell centre, he announced that an agreement on this matter will be signed with the Kragujevac Faculty of Medicine in the first quarter of 2011.
He affirmed that additional assistance of €1.43 million will be secured for the four faculties of the Kragujevac University, namely the Faculty of Agronomy in Cacak, the Faculties of Medicine and Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kraljevo.
Djelic participated today in the “A step towards knowledge-based economy” gathering held at the Kragujevac Chamber of Commerce.
He confirmed that companies that export most of the products in 2011 can count on support in the total amount of €100 million.
This will be a loan by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for which the state will give guarantees, and in return will take the shares of those companies as pledge, said the Deputy Prime Minister.
He explained that the moment the producer pays off the debt, the pledge from the companies’ shares will be removed which will make it easier for Serbian companies to export goods as they will not have to mortgage their property as it has been the case so far.
The Deputy Prime Minister announced that the Fund for innovative activities will be established next year, which is already equipped and has the initial capital of almost €9 million.
In addition, the best innovation of the year will be awarded for the first time with RSD 20 million on 23 December, Djelic confirmed.
Source Serbian Government.
