Sunrise over Belgrade and the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia in the city center
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Project benefiting from EU grant of 8.8 million euros and EBRD loan of 5 million euros -
Better energy efficiency will boost energy savings -
Investment is part of the Green Cities Action Plan for Belgrade
More than 50 years after its opening, the Belgrade Urgent Care Center will be rebuilt thanks to a project financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union (EU).
An EU grant agreement of 8.8 million euros was signed today in the presence of EBRD Regional Director for the Western Balkans Matteo Colangeli, Belgrade Mayor Aleksandar Šapić, Ambassador of the European Union with SerbiaEmanuele Giaufret, Minister of European Integration, Tanja Miščević and Minister of Health, Danica Grujičić.
EU funds, together with a previously guaranteed €5 million EBRD loan, will finance renovation and expansion works at Belgrade’s urgent care center. The total investment is expected to cost around 13.8 million euros.
Furthermore, the EU secured a grant of 1.7 million euros for technical assistance to the city of Belgrade to help it implement the project and supervise the construction works, assess the potential of the city in terms of energy efficiency and to establish a sustainable financing mechanism.
Matteo Colangeli, EBRD Regional Director for the Western Balkans, said: “With rising energy prices, the case for investing in the energy efficiency of buildings is increasingly compelling. Beyond reducing energy bills, these investments help reduce air pollution and create green jobs in the local economy. In the coming years, the EBRD will intensify its investments in Belgrade and other cities in Serbia in this important area.
Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador and Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Serbia, said: “This project combines precisely and in the best possible way the themes of public health and energy, two topics that the EU cares a lot. The reconstruction and increase in capacity of the Belgrade Emergency Medical Institute is part of a larger project that includes the renovation of three other important municipal facilities: the Student Polyclinic, the Student Hospital and the Municipal Library of Belgrade. Belgrade. I would also like to remind you of the upcoming projects for the reconstruction of the Military Medical Academy and the construction of the Tiršova 2 Children’s Hospital, for which the EU provided 36 million euros in subsidies. New green projects are starting in Kostolac and Vlasina, and more than 190,000 vulnerable families will benefit from reduced electricity and neighborhood comfort. heating bills thanks to the EU energy support program worth 165 million euros.
In addition to the signing of the grant agreement, it is expected that a call for tenders for the work will also be published in the coming days.
The reconstruction of the urgent care center will include work to improve energy efficiency, as well as expand existing facilities by 4,000 m2. Measures to improve energy efficiency will include thermal insulation, improved heating, ventilation and cooling systems, as well as the installation of energy-efficient lighting systems.
This investment should lead to a significant reduction in energy consumption and CO emissions.2 emissions. Additional benefits include improved heating and cooling, providing greater comfort to users of the facility, as well as significant savings to the city budget.
This investment is one of the priority projects defined by the Green City Action Plan for Belgrade, developed in cooperation with the EBRD. The Bank’s Green Cities program, which Belgrade joined in 2019, helps cities invest in green and sustainable infrastructure and address key environmental challenges. This is one of the first investments identified in the action plan, adopted in 2021.
Besides the urgent care center, three other public buildings were prioritized for reconstruction: a student polyclinic, a student hospital and the Belgrade City Library. The planned reconstruction should be financed by another financial package from the EBRD and the EU.
