Serbia is going through two main processes: economic transition and European integration. These processes are clearly interlinked.

Economic transition poses considerable challenges. Therefore, we welcome that Serbia has been developing and implementing its Poverty Reduction Strategy. We welcome that this strategy addresses poverty reduction, by including the "prevention of new poverty as a consequence of economic restructuring" together with economic growth, and care for the traditionally vulnerable groups…The interlink between Poverty Reduction Strategy and European integration is also reflected in our assistance programming for IPA that refers to the Poverty Reduction Strategy among its multi-sectoral strategies… In our view therefore, both the Poverty Reduction Strategy and European integration are ultimately about the well-being of people.

Speech by Mr Pierre Mirel
Director of Directorate C for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo Issues in DG Enlargement

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If we can start with first principles, the process of European integration and the PRSP are both based on the same foundations of democracy and a stable economy. These are the direct strategic connections between the SAP and the PRS processes.

These are all actions (of the European Union) which not only support the PRS but are important in ensuring that the basic conditions for the ongoing Integration of Serbia and Montenegro can take place. Proof that with the SAP and PRSP you can “kill two birds with one stone”.

David Hudson
Former First Secretary, the EC Delegation in Serbia and Montenegro
3rd Newsletter on the PRS Implementation

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The crucial battle for poverty reduction is fought at the local level. Close cooperation of the state with local authorities provides the necessary resources for the battle. These projects are providing opportunities for local actors to improve the work of their municipalities in cooperation with the country and EU. The long-term value of such support for local authorities is the creation of institutional infrastructure for implementing national strategies, such as the program of support for poverty reduction.

Bernard O’Sullivan
Programme Manager
European Agency for Reconstruction
6th Newsletter on the PRS Implementation

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Support to the development and implementation of Serbia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy has been central to UK’s strategy in Serbia since 2002. In October last year we approved a 3.4 million euro grant to support the PRS implementation. I believe this demonstrates the importance we place on helping the poorest and most vulnerable people in Serbia.

David Gowan
H.E. Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Second National Conference on Poverty Reduction
Bela Crkva, September 20th, 2006

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In a country such as Serbia, the European integration process is coupled with the wider transition process. Therefore, it is important that Serbia has conceived its own national strategies such as the Poverty reduction which aims at an overall socio-economic improvement of the country. The measures foreseen by the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the measures of the European Partnership should go hand-in-hand achieve their medium-term goal of bringing back Serbia to the European mainstream.

One should however not forget that the main actors in this process are the Serbian people, the civil society, the government and the local authorities who should take the ownership of the process and demonstrate their will to make Serbia a contributor to regional and European stability, and a better place to live.

We all know that the journey is challenging. But we also know from the past experience that all the efforts are worthwhile. The final goal of the whole process results in a Serbia as a better place to live, with functioning rule of law, improved socio-economic situation and people living in a functioning democratic society.

Olli Rehn
EU Commissioner for Enlargement

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“Now we have the framework (PRS)—and the framework is good. This is one of the rare occasions when a new Government does not change the strategy of the previous Government, when everything starts all over again. We know that a significant number of our fellow-citizens lives below the poverty line. They live in various regions of the country, and various activities can improve their position. We all are obliged to link our activities in order to enable a better life for them.”

Miroljub Labus,
former Deputy Prime Minister,
at the Conference on Poverty Reduction in Serbia,
Plandište, Ferbuary 22, 2005.

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“A national poverty reduction strategy must deal with the elimination of causes, and not only the consequences of poverty; the strategy must be defined as an integral part of the social development strategy, which has a long-term goal of building a successful, but also just society, in which solidarity and equality will dominate… The PRS is not the Government’s project, but an integral strategy of all parts of society—ministries, private businesses, NGOs, international development partners.”

Zoran Đinđić,
former Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia,
at the Conference «Poverty profile in Serbia», Beograd,
December 18, 2002

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“Only healthy, active people can create and maintain a stable and thriving country. For this reason economic growth and poverty reduction are of concern to all citizens of this country. The Poverty Reduction Strategy is a development-oriented document, and more than 4000 people participated in the process of drafting the PRSP. It is our common ownership, and it must also be our common priority in the years of PRS implementation.”

Vesna Golić,
Director of Group 484 NGO from Belgrade

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“By participating in the drafting process, and now in the implementation of PRS as well, the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities directly contribute to enabling local self-governments to tackle with accumulated problems. As a level of authority closest to citizens, towns and municipalities have the particular responsibility to contribute to a faster improvement of life quality, by developing their own local strategic documents in which causes and possible solutions for poverty reduction will be identified.”

Đorđe Staničić,
Secretary General of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities

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As underlined by the Serbian Poverty Reduction Strategy, joint work of all relevant factors will support faster reduction of poverty. The OSCE and Serbia’s other international partners are ready and willing to continue helping the country achieve its poverty reduction and reform goals on the road to joining the Euro-Atlantic family.

Maurizio Massari,
Ambassador

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The value of the PRS is insomuch greater for the SCTM because this is probably the only strategic document that has survived major political changes at the central level. The Strategy is also a rare example of a document whose preparation and implementation fully apply the consultation mechanisms that we, as national association of local self-governments, consider crucial for the success for any reform process.

Željko Ožegović,
SCTM President and New Belgrade Municipal Mayor